Sophomore Sorrows
by DarkAngelSnapeLover
Summary: The students of Mr. Ratburn's class are now sophomores in high school, or at least most of them are. Follow them through the ups and downs of high school and life. Back to a K rating, but there is some explicit language and minor sexual references. Please pay attention to the warnings at the beginning of those chapters. See the full summary, as well as the A/N in C.19 for more info
1. Chapter 1

Sophomore Sorrows

Summary: It's almost sophomore year for the crew, but things are nothing like they used to be. Buster had moved to Metropolis—aka New York City—for his new life with his father's new family, never to write to Arthur again. Muffy had fulfilled her potential as class snob, and now she was aiming for a new status as class bitch. Some of the others are still the same, such as bookworm Fern and overly-intelligent Brain, but none of them have much contact with each other, at least other than common-courtesy-conversation. Can the group ever become one unit again or will it all fall apart? Rated K+, but there is some explicit language so pay attention to the warnings. Enjoy!

[Note: I'm a busy college student. I love this piece and want to get it to my fans as soon as I can, but there may be gaps in posting. Forgive me but I have no internet access at home, which means no posting when I'm away from the net. I promise to leave you with plenty to read before the weekends, aka my longest away time.]

PART ONE: FIRST DAYS

CHAPTER ONE

Fern sighed as she looked up from her latest Stephen Kings novel. The library was getting noisier and noisier, making the words bleed together in her mind. It was hard enough to read horror at home now that her sister had left home, but if she couldn't get peace at the library, she'd just have to get up.

"All of you, out!" the librarian hissed. He'd moved to Elwood City from Metropolis, his lisp ringing in Fern's ears. She hated the man, who still hadn't learned the layout of the library because his eyes were focused on ebooks and the new computer lab. The traffic going in and out of that hideous room made Fern shiver; she had to find a new spot to read at.

"Hey, Fern," Arthur nodded when she passed him. Arthur was wearing his new contacts, which made him look funny to Fern. He'd always had glasses, always. Why should he not have them for sophomore year? "Have you registered for school yet?" he asked. Fern nodded. "Well…what's your schedule like?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Fern murmured, turning to walk away. Arthur gave her a perplexed look as she faded out of the library's doors, more like a strong breeze than a person.

"Arthur, come on!" DW hissed, pulling on Arthur's arm. They'd seen online that a new movie was available for checkout, so she and Kate made Arthur and their mother drive them to the library. Their mother had gone on to the grocery store, but Arthur was stuck with his little sisters like always.

"Ooh, can I check out a book, Arthur? Pllleeeaaaassseeeee!" Kate begged, running off towards the stacks. Arthur sighed.

"Do whatever you want. Just be quiet before you get us kicked out," he groaned, remembering the group that left the library as they entered. They were from Pleasant Dale High, a private school just outside of Elwood City, meaning they were Muffy's new classmates. She'd abandoned the group long ago for the private school life. While she was stuck-up and snooty in Ratburn's class, she was now a million times worse.

"Arthur, where should we meet you?" DW whispered loudly from the DVD shelves. Arthur sighed, walking past her on his way to the comic section. He told her he'd be there, but he doubted she was listening. She'd squealed as she grabbed the DVD, hugging it to her chest. Arthur sighed again, moving upstairs to the comic section.

He was feeling nostalgic now. He couldn't look at comics with his former best friend, Buster, anymore. Buster had moved before high school to live with his father and step-mom. His father lost his job as a pilot, so he used his knowledge of history and his degrees (that no one knew about, even Bitzi) to secure a job at a popular Metropolis museum. He'd met his new wife there, a very rich wife with a loft in the city. She already had a son, but now Buster stayed with them as well. He'd been there for three years; he'd stopped writing after one.

"Arthur Read? Well it's been a long time," a female voice sneered from behind him. Arthur turned from his thoughts and the comic wheel to see Muffy Crosswire, her hair done in some famous fashion, her clothes perfected to match. "I didn't think you'd still be here, not with your mother losing her job."

"She's an accountant, Muffy. They don't lose their jobs," Arthur countered. During tax season, his mother went to live with Grandma Thora, who didn't mind letting her daughter-in-law hole up in her basement while she worked twenty-four hours-plus a day to work through as many returns as she could do. The money kept them going until the next year, with good budgeting. This year there was enough for a new van. There wasn't necessarily enough for the new baby boy, but there was enough for the car to drive them all around.

"Well, I forget such things. My father can't lose his job either, yet he did," she mocked. She then cackled loudly, "Then again, him being bought out by a bigger dealer who wanted to bring him onboard is the best thing Daddy every did! Oh, you middle-class nothings amuse me so much, Arthur Read. You must meet my other classmates so you can entertain them with your life," she laughed, marching down the stairs. The new librarian greeted her, forcing her out along with the other Pleasant Dale low-lifes…or high-lifes. Arthur scoffed at them all; he was here for comics, not torment.

"Was that Muffy?" Brain called from the stacks. He was a senior at Elwood City High, due for college at the end of the first semester. He'd maintained contact with his old classmates on social something-or-other; none of them could understand him anymore when he started talking about concepts and other things they were too young for.

"Yeah. Shouldn't you be studying?" Arthur asked kindly. Brain nodded fiercely, revealing a tall stack of books pouring out the top of a bursting shoulder bag. The local grocer's crest was on the front, but the sides of the bag had already been reinforced several times with various fabrics. None had worked so far; Arthur heard a loud ripping sound come from his direction. "Do you need help carrying those? If you offer the girls free ice cream, I'm sure they'd help us."

"Oh I've got it, Arthur. I've been studying the—multiple words that Arthur couldn't understand—to stay fit. I can lift approximately eighty pounds without strain now," he smiled. Arthur's face remained blank. He was thinking, 'So you're smart AND fit. What's left for me?', but he remained silent. "Well, I ought to be going. I just thought I'd see if that was our old friend being so rude. I wondered why she didn't answer my emails," he shrugged, moving past Arthur and down the stairs without much effort.

Arthur sighed loudly. Was this really what they'd all become?

"Arthur, let's go! Mom's honking out front!" Kate begged. Like DW, she was all about reputation. Trying to beat out Binky's little sister in popularity was hard work, especially when she wanted to be smart. Her books were above Arthur's reading level. 'Great, another Brain,' he thought, grabbing a random volume and moving with them to the checkout counter. The new librarian tried to push their new ebook line, but they passed.

Benji was screaming when they all piled into the van. Their mom didn't bother changing places with Arthur; they needed to get home now. She didn't even wait for seatbelts before pulling off, a stern scowl on her face.

A/N: So I'll be focusing on a few characters per chapter for a while, just so you get a feel for where everyone is now. This chapter was Arthur-centric, for the most part, but the next chapter will focus on Binky Barnes and his family. Where is Binky now? Check out Chapter 2 to find out!


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Binky was helping his mom prepare dinner when a scream came from Mei-Lin's room. Binky immediately moved to check out the situation, but Mei-Lin smashed into him in the hallway, tears streaming down her face. It was another drama of an elementary-school-aged girl. Binky knew to move, letting her storm in on their mother.

Binky hovered in the hallway as the screaming match began. Mei-Lin had forgotten some chores the day before, so their mother must've blocked something of hers online. Despite Binky's improvements over the years, he only had access to the family computer in the living room. Mei-Lin had a computer AND a television in her room. Binky had neither.

Mei-Lin did everything the right way, achieving wonderful scores in school. Only Kate Read did better than her, and she had to work had to do that. Binky had to work hard for everything, but was he ever complimented? He got a new movie for passing eighth grade, but now he was back to being the underdog, forgotten except when he was needed.

"You should've done what I told you! Where's your brother? We need to get this in the oven now, and you need to leave!" their mom said sternly. Mei-Lin stormed past, giving Binky a look from hell. She had everything; he had nothing. He gets dirty look; she gets away with it.

Binky sighed heavily, helping his mother finish getting the casserole ready for the oven. They were waiting on Binky's father to get home thirty minutes from then, fresh from an office job they never thought he'd get. He'd been at school since Binky made it to the fifth grade; he graduated when Binky left eighth grade, getting a party from relatives and plenty of gifts, all while Binky received nothing.

"Binky, I'd do the trash now," his mother suggested. Binky nodded obediently, stepping out into the summer heat. He was almost grateful to be going back to school. No more constant "attention" from his family. He could claim he had homework and possibly be listened to. He could do whatever he wanted while he was in school—

"Psst! Barnes!" a voice called from the bushes. Binky looked up to see Rattles, his punk look changing to the thug look after years of the same crap Binky had to put up with. Rattles was smart, very smart, but having dealt with ignorant teachers for too long, he'd dropped out to pursue other things, namely a life of crime. Binky wasn't interested, but that's why Rattles was here.

"I told you I'm not going with you, not now, not ever," Binky said sternly. Rattles shook his head, emerging from the bushes and brushing off some old leaves.

"Molly said the same thing, Barnes. She said only a man like you could handle this job, the old Ratburn place," Rattles grinned. Mr. Ratburn had a stroke the previous summer. After a year bouncing in and out of the hospital and care centers, his sister was finally moving him in with her.

"I couldn't steal from him, Rattles. I looked up to him," Binky said, his voice showing that he was remembering those times when he was accepted. Rattles heard the crack and laughed heartily.

"Maybe Molly was wrong about that man thing after all, Barnes," he cackled. "I've got a moving truck, some old mover's uniforms, and a few other things that might sweeten the deal," he grinned, holding up some keys. Dangling from the ring was a tiny marionette puppet. He'd bought that at a puppetry festival the summer before fifth grade. He invited his class to come with him as one final outing together. Binky was the one who found them at a small stall ran by an old friend of his. The two talked for hours; the keychain was a gift.

"Not even if it's foolproof," Binky said, shaking his head and moving back towards the house. "I'll never be interested, Rattles. I'm not like that."

"Then you'll never be Binky to me, Barnes," Rattles said coldly, turning back towards the bushes that likely led to the road. "Molly was right to reject you. You don't belong with us; you aren't a Tough Customer."

"So what, Rattles?" Binky scoffed, putting his hand on the doorknob leading back to the kitchen. "I'll be looking for your name in the paper. That's where it'll end up sooner or later, foolproof or not."

"Say what you want, Barnes, I'll still be more famous than you," Rattles called back, disappearing into the bushes.

Binky returned inside. He was immediately scolded for forgetting some pieces for the trash, then for disappearing for too long. He still had to set the tables and clean off the counters. His work would never end. His mother sat in her favorite chair, her legs curled up as she stared at the television. Binky envied her, but he also was starting to hate her. He let the anger help him through his tasks.

A/N: So, will Binky decide to be a Tough Customer once again or stick to his crumbling morals? We'll back in with him later in the piece. Chapter Three is dedicated to an old moose friend of ours, George Lundgren. Just a warning: I'm not very nice to him. Will I lighten up on him in later chapters? Hopefully. Keep checking in for more, and I'm always open for reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

George and his father looked up from the worktable as someone knocked on the door. George's mother had a platter with sandwiches and a pitcher of lemonade. George retrieved it, careful to place the items on a suitable surface. After Wally broke his sixth-grade year, falling into too many pieces to put back together, he'd started helping his father carve. He'd made a major flaw when making Wally, but they'd fixed that now. George had three dummies, one for him to keep and two to sell. He'd sell them at the state fair when it came to town, but now it was time to help his father.

"George, I registered you for high school today," his mom called, trying to make conversation to the busy men. She had barely seen her husband in days thanks to a custom cabinet order, and her son had helped him the entire time.

"That's fine, Mom. You can put the schedule on my desk. I'll look at it later," George muttered. He'd shoved an entire sandwich in his mouth, making his mom scowl darkly.

"You were held back, George. You'll be in remedial classes because of…because of this!" she cried, kicking a mahogany board lying near the door. "I'm sick of this, from both of you! You aren't making enough money to support us, and now my son isn't in the tenth grade like he's supposed to be!"

The "conversation" with George was now an attack on his father. In the few moments they'd spoken over the last few days and weeks, each conversation had become an argument. He didn't want his wife in the room anymore, but her ploy with George was the perfect cover. Now they were screaming too much for George's comfort, so he slipped into the house with the pitcher of lemonade, curling up on the couch to drink straight from the gallon-sized container.

He knew his grades were awful, but he was cleaver enough to hide that from his mother. He'd passed math because of his woodworking skills. The shop teacher recommended a more hands-on test to his algebra teacher, who reluctantly agreed. His English teacher, despite accepting a hand-carved sculpture near the end of the year, failed George with a fifty-six. His science and world history were just as bad, but shop class held his greatest average, a perfect one. Not many people could do that, but George wasn't thinking about it while he took the course. He wanted to prove himself to his classmates that had abandoned him.

After Wally broke, George was a mess. Arthur and Buster tried to cheer him up, but after a while they decided just to move on to something else. Buster had already started talking about leaving then, and Arthur was his usual self. George didn't fit, and no one else really spoke to him. Sue Ellen was leaving to follow her father's ambassador position, and Fern was so knee-deep into books that she barely noticed the world around her. The only one who spoke to him was Muffy, but she just laughed at him not having the money she did whenever they crossed paths in stores.

"He's your son too!" George's father screamed. The screams and yells were louder now, thundering out of the workroom with such force that people were peeking through their curtains again. The first for this fight was George still being the subject after so long. Usually they'd gone on to his long hours, his lack of attention to her, her constant babbling about things no one gave a damn about. This time it was all George, George, George.

He finished the pitcher, moving upstairs to be with his dummies. His main dummy, Wallace Senior, was made in an attempt to recreate Wally one day, but George had ideas for two others first. One was Master Cheerio, a British-inspired piece with a top hat, monocle, and a suit with tails, which took a year to make in itself. The other was Madam Ling, a Chinese dummy he had yet to sell. Both were kept in display cases that he could take to fairs—

And both lay shattered on his bedroom floor. Dummy parts were scattered all over the tattered room, the dummies themselves probably used to cause the damage.

George sank to his knees, broken glass stabbing at him through his work pants. His favorite, Wallace Senior, lay shattered on the side yard. His ninth grade schedule lay on his bed, staring at him with a look at said, 'You deserve it.'

"You did what?! Are you trying to turn him from both of us?! You're a stupid bitch and I want you out!" his father screamed, running to the side yard to retrieve the pieces. His "wife" moved upstairs to pack her things, a light smile on her face.

"I hope you're happy with yourself, George," she whispered as she walked past. He couldn't hear her. He didn't want to hear her. He couldn't, didn't, wouldn't. He was gone to them.

A/N: I know, I know, I'm mean to poor George! But I want to try to improve his life later. We'll see how that goes later in the piece. Next up, Francine Frensky! How has she changed over the years? Does she have a little crush on someone? Find out in Chapter Four!


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

"Catherine! Go, go, go! You're going to miss your flight!"

Francine's parents were happy to send Catherine back to college. Her fiancé, so California schmuck, was glued to her side, and Francine knew they'd broken a house rule and slept together at least four times while she was there. Since they'd moved into a different apartment, Francine had her own room. Catherine did as well, but she'd share with Francine while she and her love were there. In short, Francine heard everything, her young ears traumatized beyond repair.

"You didn't say much, Sport," Francine's father chuckled, punching her arm lightly. "Want to hit the ball around before practice?"

"I didn't make the team, remember? They wanted me to play softball instead, so I told them to—"

"Oh, Francine, softball is a good sport too," her mother smiled, leading them back through the airport towards the parking lot. Her usual speech led them back to the car: Women are just as good as men, softball is just as challenging, it comes on television too, blah, blah, blah. Francine blocked it all out as they left the busy airport.

"Well you can still play with me, Sport. What about soccer? Are you still doing that when it's time?" her father asked. Francine sighed audibly. Her parents shook their head, letting the question fade into the crowd.

Francine loved sports in middle school, but high school sports drove her mad. Her baseball coach, who taught her ninth grade health class, refused to put her on the team because of "paperwork, piles and piles of paperwork! You'd be my age by the time you got on the team!" The soccer coach worked them all too hard, sending one to the hospital with chest cramps and trouble breathing on the second practice. Francine kept getting a ride to the fields after that, but she went to the public track instead, jogging at a steady pace until "the end of practice," when they'd pick her up. They never asked about games, thankfully, but her lie about freshmen not being able to play seemed to keep them content.

Now she was thinking of track because of the new track coach, a thirty-something with light brown hair and a golden smile. Francine felt herself blush as she thought of him. He would also teach her US history course, making her even more happy.

"Hey, while we're in the city, who wants some good food?" Francine's father called to them all. Her mother immediately agreed. It took Francine a moment to remember English after thinking of Coach Peters for just those few seconds.

"Yeah, sure," Francine nodded.

"She's doing it again, Laverne. What should we do about it?" her father grinned.

"Oh stop! I was looking at the scenery!" Francine countered. They both laughed heartily.

"We're stuck at a red light, Sport. Just give it up and tell us who he is," her father prodded, but Francine returned her eyes to the cars around her. A fat businessman was picking his nose two cars up, and a woman in the car beside them was throwing on makeup with one hand while drinking a latte with the other. She kept doing both as traffic eased forward.

"We'll leave her alone for now, Oliver. She'll have to tell us if this keeps up," her mom winked. Francine ignored them again; the woman was now reading some sort of memo and the fat man was shoving two donuts into his mouth at once. Francine stifled some gagging as they reached the next red light.

"What did you think of Catherine's friend? He knows a lot, but if I hear one more thing about California weather—"

"Now, Oliver, we have to support her. She did seem really happy with him," Francine's mother smiled, beamed. She was so happy to see her oldest daughter with someone special. Wedding pages were all over the computer's history, making Francine gag for real this time.

"What was that, Sport?" her father called, hearing the noise.

"Nothing, Dad," she replied. He nodded, turning back to his wife.

"Well he's going to be fun to explain to her grandmother. If he's Jewish like us I'll eat this steering wheel."

"Oh, Oliver, it won't be that bad. We'll just…have some minor explaining to do," her mother faltered.

"See, you don't agree with that part either."

"What does it matter anyway?" Francine asked. Her parents scoffed at once.

"You tell her, Oliver," her mother said sternly, looking out the window.

"Our family has always stayed with its own, Francine. I've never liked the rule much myself, but I found your mother before it became an issue, and she found me. If we'd found someone else like your sister did, we probably wouldn't be able to stay with the person unless we converted them, though our family doesn't like that either. Your mom's family is a little more lenient," he whispered, hinting at Francine's lesbian aunt who married her partner recently. They never expected to see them at Hanukkah celebrations, yet they were there.

"Not hardly," her mother scoffed, hinting at the argument that followed said-Hanukkah celebrations. "It's just something apart of the culture, Frankie. You can be with who you want, but keep in mind how the rest of the family might feel."

Francine immediately wondered if Coach Peters was Jewish. She felt herself blush as they pulled into a restaurant. She recovered quickly, sitting across from her parents and focusing on the diner's décor to keep her mind from the handsome, young coach she was eager to please.

A/N: Oh, Francine, you just had to fall for an older man. We'll see how this school girl's crush turns out later in the piece. It's time for their first day of school now, starting with Arthur and his chaotic family. Will they make a good impression on the bus driver their first day? With two whiny girls in the family, you already know the answer to that. But maybe something good will come of this first day. Read Chapter Five to find out for sure.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

The bus arrived just as DW received her food. She made a fuss as Kate stood by the open door, waiting for the others. They would ride the same bus to Lakewood Elementary, but DW would travel to the middle school and Arthur the high school, if they ever got out the door.

"Just go, Dora Winifred!" their mother shrieked. Young Benji was starting to wake up in their master bedroom, causing their father to yell to her to get him so he could sleep later.

"But—!" DW cried, but Arthur dragged her outside as the bus driver honked her horn. "Stop! You're hurting me!" she shrieked, pulling away and trying to run back towards the house.

"I'll leave her behind if you want!" the driver called gruffly.

'Great, another bad impression,' Arthur thought as Kate boarded the bus. He followed with DW running up quickly. The front door was locked; her messy toast crumbled in her hand.

"No food," the driver spat. Arthur sighed, continuing towards the back with the other high school students. None of them spoke to him as Kate sat near the front with a girl from her homeroom last year. DW was still arguing outside.

"Just get on, kid!" one of the high schoolers yelled out the window. He was a senior this year, Arthur assumed, and music blared from his headphones. "Damn these little kids get on my nerves," he groaned, eying Arthur for the first time. "Not even going to help your little sister? You're better than I thought, kid," he said, extending a fist for a fist bump. Arthur obliged.

"She can fix her own problems," Arthur murmured.

"You'll have to speak up, kid. Can't hear over these sweet tunes!" he called, holding up his MP3 player. Arthur shook his head; his comment wasn't that important anyway.

Suddenly the speakers overhead crackled to life, the bus driver's voice yelling out through the static, "Kevin, get those off now!" The boy grinned devilishly as he pulled off the headphones.

"I was getting tired of that anyway. So, kid, you're in what grade now?" he asked.

"Tenth," Arthur replied. He nodded, looking over the bland group of students.

"Not many of you in this neighborhood. You once had the largest class. You knew that right?" he asked. Arthur thought of Buster leaving, Sue Ellen leaving, and Muffy leaving. He nodded quietly. "Well, we're the biggest now. First time in years that the number of seniors bypassed the other grades. It takes hard work. Do you study, kid?"

"When I can," Arthur replied. The boy nodded, eying the others and pointing to a blonde in the very back. Her hair blocked most of her face, but Arthur recognized her as Beth Ann Gibson, a junior fluent in English and French. She was DW's friend, Emily's older cousin.

"Go to her for language and history," the boy said, pointing to the next kid in front of her. He looked like a jock, but Arthur didn't know much else about him. "Great at math. If you ever need geometry help, go to him. And me? I'm good in everything else."

"I'll remember that," Arthur said, looking out the window to see who was boarding next. It looked like the last house before Lakewood, which meant the bus would lose its elementary kids and gain any middle schoolers or high schoolers heading elsewhere.

"We get off last, kid. What's your name anyway? I know you just heard mine," he chuckled, eying the overhead speakers.

"I'm Arthur Read," he replied. The guy nodded, looking over the bus again.

"I'll be happy to get out of here at the end of the year, but I wish you the best. High school isn't easy, but I'm sure you already know that. What's with the contacts? You've had glasses for years."

"They're cheaper according to my mom," Arthur replied, which was the truth. His last glasses would've cost two hundred dollars, money they didn't have. Forty for one box was a nice exchange. "I like these better anyway."

"And you didn't change because they said anything to you?" he asked. Arthur shook his head. "You've got more will than I do, Read. I don't even have the same eye color anymore," he said, pulling out a brown contact in his right eye to reveal it was really green. "They thought I was a freak with magic because my eyes were two different colors. Well, not anymore. Told them I had major surgery on it. Made it real easy to get some good treats for a while," he winked, watching the young kids get off at the elementary school. When the last person, Kate, was off, more students poured inside, immediately filling the seats again.

"I hate to sound a little creepy, Arthur, but I noticed you don't sit with many people. There's that athletic girl who isn't on any teams and that smart kid who ended up in my grade, but you all don't seem that close. Seven other people sat at that table, and you never spoke to any of them," Kevin explained. Arthur shrugged; so what? "I'll be your friend, Arthur. You need one; you need plenty. I can give you that, if you don't mind helping me with some things."

"What kind of things?" Arthur asked. Kevin shrugged, smirking slightly.

"It's nothing criminal so wipe that look off your face," he smiled. "I want to be an officer of my class. I know I don't look like the type, but I want to change my image. I like the black, but I want some popularity. I was thinking you could help me with posters, maybe some promotion between classes. Do you think you're up for it?"

Arthur thought for a moment as they arrived at the middle school. Every one of the appropriate age left the bus except DW, who was called off over the speaker system. Kevin chuckled lightly, patting Arthur's arm in a way that said, "Man, I feel for you."

"I don't mind helping out," Arthur said as the bus began to move again. "Just help me with any supplies for posters."

"Yeah, I bet those sisters of your leech every last cent out of your parents," Kevin nodded, eying the others on the bus. No high schoolers got on at the middle school; they'd take another bus to the overcrowded Elwood City High. The seats were almost empty, aside from a few people lingering near the front, probably nervous freshmen. "Deal, Arthur," he said, extending his hand. Arthur shook is as the bus finally arrived at the high school.

"Enjoy your first day," the driver said gruffly, eying Arthur when he passed by with a look of pure evil. At least the faces outside the bus seemed kinder, Arthur thought, following Kevin into the school and towards the gym.

"I'll introduce you to everyone, Arthur. You should have no problems if you stick with us," he smiled, leading him to the top of the bleachers. Arthur was introduced to Ryan, Claire, and Michael, with Ryan being the only other senior.

"Welcome to the group," Claire nodded, looking back down to a sketchpad covered with intricate drawings. Ryan had a book on mechanics and Michael talked with Kevin. Arthur remained quiet and empty-handed, taking it all in quietly.

A/N: I'm assuming DW is jelly-stained for her first day, but Arthur seems to finally have the makings of a good friend unit. We'll check back in with him later. Next up is Fern, who is still searching for that perfect reading spot. Will she find it or will some dark force keep her from it? The rating is going up to T now for language. Hope you enjoy Chapter Six.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

**WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE**

Fern smiled as she sank into a beanbag chair in the crowded library, crowded with shelves, that is. Elwood City High redid their library over the summer, hoping to bring in more students who weren't into the new city librarian's ebook policies. Fern checked out two books before sinking into the lovely beanbag chair to read. She picked an old favorite first, _Frankenstein_.

Footsteps sounded nearby, heavy ones. Fern looked up to see a girl wearing all black walking by, her dark makeup making her look zombie-like. Her knee-length black skirt didn't really match her black fishnets and black combat boots, but Fern remembered that the dress code didn't allow the miniskirt that would complete the look.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" the girl asked angrily. Fern shook her head, looking down to her book. "I saw you, kid! What were you looking at?!" she asked fiercely.

"Snow, stop!" the librarian called.

"This isn't over," the girl growled, moving to the counter. Somehow she'd already reserved books to checkout. She buried herself in another corner of the room, disappearing from Fern's view.

She'd almost ruined her reading, Fern thought, returning to the opening pages. She'd read the book so many times that the lines flowed through her mind before her eyes read the words. She smiled slightly as the footsteps sounded again, this time from a different direction.

"Now that she's off somewhere else, what the fuck were you looking at?" the gothic girl asked, kneeling next to the mousy Fern, who still shook her head and remained silent. "Oh, I'm bothering you?" the girl grinned darkly, catching Fern's brow flickering with annoyance. "Well, people who constantly stare then pretend not to just grind my fucking gears, you stupid mouse!" the girl spat, keeping her voice low so the librarian wouldn't notice. "What's so important about that book anyway? You've read it before if you're here."

"I like reading it again, in peace," Fern said sternly. The dark girl smiled.

"So the mouse can speak," she said, poking at Fern's other book, an older mystery the city library didn't have. "So, mystery? Same here," she said, pulling out a small paperback from her bag. "So you're envious of me? Is that why you stare?" she asked. Fern shook her head. "I'll make you talk, mouse. I did it once before and I can do it again."

"I just have nothing to say to you," Fern reminded her, holding up the book. "Will you back off so I can read?"

"Too late now," she said, pointing overhead as the bells rang for the first class of the term, homeroom for everyone. "See you around, mouse, and you best keep your eyes to yourself."

Her loud footsteps stopped just short of the door, which she slammed open into a couple making out in the cove of the door. Fern was just as gruff with them. She wanted to be alone, but she also really wanted to be heard by someone. She'd never seen anyone like the gothic girl, but she knew she wanted to see her again, just so she could find out how to be more like her.

A/N: That Snow sure does have a mouth on her, hence the new rating. The next chapter will be much tamer. Binky finds himself in an interesting first class…with Brain Powers? How will his parents react when they find out he landed there, or will they even notice? Read Chapter Seven to find out the answers.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Binky looked around the room in shock. When he realized he was in an advanced classroom, he nearly fainted. He almost imploded when he saw Brain Powers at the front of the room, as well as every smart senior he'd ever had contact with, which wasn't very many. The class, an advanced history course, only had ten people in it. Binky was the only sophomore; everyone else was considered a senior.

"Alright, I'll call the roll. Barnes, Binky?" the teacher called. Binky nervously raised his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Barnes. Binky is the only sophomore allowed in the course this year. His history scores last year made him eligible, as well as his other standardized scores. I hope your parents are very proud of you, Binky," the teacher smiled.

Everyone stared in his direction, especially Brain. Binky knew he'd be bombarded by him later for being in the course, but now he had other issues. It was only his first course and he was already being reminded of how little his parents seemed to care anymore. Didn't his mom see the AP next to his schedule? Binky looked down to see he was in Honors English too. How could she miss that?

"I'll pair everyone off now for a small project we'll be doing this week. Um…Binky and Brain? You two can take this table," the teacher instructed, pointing to where they would sit before moving to the next pair. 'So I'll be bombarded now,' Binky thought, moving with Brain to a small table by the window.

"Wow, Binky, I had no idea!" Brain gasped, clearly remembering those Ratburn days where Binky was stuck with his younger classmates. Brain was in the same shoes, they discovered later, but he was held back in the beginning, not fourth grade.

"Here's your information packets. I expect a three-page paper in APA format on Friday, along with a presentation to go with the topic I give you. Ah, Binky and Brain," the teacher smiled, handing them a thick packet of papers. "How does ancient China sound to you two?"

Brain smiled brightly, snatching the paper from his hand. Binky groaned internally. If he told his parents about the class, he'd have to mention his first project was about China, which would mean a forced homework session with Mei-Lin to hear about China. Again.

"Which part do you want to do?" Brain asked, looking through the packet carefully. "I have some posters at home that could help with the presentation."

"I'll write the paper then," Binky said, his voice showing he wasn't pleased. Brain didn't even notice; he was too focused on the packet of information to really care what his classmate was feeling.

"I'd meet up after school to get in some work time," the teacher warned, taking a seat at his desk. Brain immediately suggested they meet at his house. Binky was immediately grateful.

For the rest of the hour, the two worked through some key points they would need to make for their presentation and paper. When the bell rang, they had already agreed to meet after school at Brain's house for an hour for some preliminary work. Binky just hoped he could actually go after school. He'd already been told about some chores before he left. Even an advanced class's project wouldn't be able to stop them; his dreams had been wrong yet again.

A/N: So Binky Barnes made it into AP History. If only his family would be more supportive, am I right? We'll see how their project turns out later, but first we'll see how George is doing on his first day. The drama from home is really weighing on this poor moose, but will school only give him more problems? Check out Chapter Eight for the answers.

Also, if you're curious about one of your favorite characters, feel free to ask me about them. I'm well ahead of this particular chapter in my writing, so I don't mind giving you sneak peeks about your faves...or adding them in if I forgot them^^


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

**Warning: Minor explicit language**

George looked around trying to find his second class. He was already late to his first class because a group of freshmen blocked his path. Now he was lost on his own, standing between four unmarked doors as the bell chimed overhead.

"Aww, man," he sighed, sulking off towards the assistant principal who was rounding up late students. When he approached, the man had three sophomores and a junior under his control. When he saw George, his gruff face showed a slight smile.

"Which room you lookin' for, son?" he asked somewhat kindly. George held up his schedule. "It's okay, kid, you'll learn them all eventually," he said, pointing to a well-marked door to George's left. "Welcome to high school, kid. Congrats on getting advanced woodshop. That's a hard class to get into."

He walked off before George could explain that he'd been held back. The sophomores glared at him; they knew what class he was really in. That didn't matter now though. He entered freshman English again; he'd received the same teacher last year, and her familiar frown greeted him as he sulked into class late.

George quickly realized he was in the remedial ninth grade English course. Three students near the dingy windows threw paper back and forth while two girls chatted about beauty supplies. The teacher didn't say a word; she never disciplined these classes.

"Are there any questions about my policies before we move on?" she asked. George raised his hand. She sighed with contempt. "You're here because you were supposed to be here all along, George. Why didn't you ask that question before? You may've moved on with the others."

The few people who were paying attention laughed darkly. They loved watching teachers get on other students, and George was easily their new favorite target. He sank down in his desk, pulling out a notebook and sketching out a new design for Grandpa Wallace. He couldn't undo the damage his mom did to the dummies, so he'd start from scratch—"

"No doodling in my class!" the teacher spat, yanking the notebook from his hands and causing a lead-filled gash to cover the book. "It's detention, Lundgren! Any more problems from you and I'll write you up!"

Laughter filled the room. George eyed his broken pencil and ripped notebook with an angry glare.

"Fuck you!" George spat. The teacher gasped, but at least the other stopped laughing.

George left the room before she could formally kick him out. He left the notebook behind, moving towards the unmarked doors from before. When he found one of the unlocked ones, he opened it. Inside was a storage room, probably left unlocked by the janitors retrieving supplies. George moved to a semi-broken chair. He sat down waiting for someone to come find him, but the bell rang for third period with no such searching.

Once the hallway emptied after the tardy bell, George began his walk home. He easily slipped out of a door leading to the faculty parking lot, and after running towards a neighboring street, he was home free. So what if he was skipping school? He didn't belong there anyway, not with the hateful teachers and even more hateful students.

After an hour of walking, he arrived in his father's work room. His father smiled, passing him a chisel. He accepted, moving beside him to help carve out a yard sculpture for a neighbor's birthday. They whistled some songs together, light smiles on their faces. When the phone rang to inform Mr. Lundgren that his son was missing from school, they let it ring.

"I won't ask, but you should probably go tomorrow," he winked after playing the message. George shook his head. "So you want to drop out? But you're just fifteen. They won't let you."

"I can't do it, Dad. They don't respect me. They don't even care," George whispered. His father nodded, going to the desk where they kept different paperwork. "What are you looking for?" George asked. His father pulled out a battered leather-bound book.

"This will get you away from that school. Your grandmother got me this program years ago thinking you wouldn't be able to handle public school. It's a home school program, and if they accept it, you'll never have to go back there."

"Will I still have to learn?" George asked. His father nodded. "But you'll help me, right?" George asked nervously. His father nodded with a bright smile.

"You won't have to worry about anyone bothering you again. Your mother won't be back either," he said sternly, holding up another folder. "I can't really afford a lengthy divorce, but I know you'll end up with me. I love you, son."

"I love you too, Dad," George smiled, watching his father put both folders on top of the desk. "Dad, can I see if the wood shop teacher minds me working with him some? You're really good, but I want to see what he has to offer too."

"If he's willing, I don't mind. He might teach you something I can't, which'll be good for business. Now, let's get back to work," he smiled.

A quarter after five, a police officer showed up with the principal. Mr. Lundgren laughed heartily as he opened the door.

"Where the hell have you people been? He's been here since before noon!" he laughed, stepping onto the front step to talk to them while George helped make some TV dinners for them. He couldn't hear what they told him, but his father's laugh and response was perfectly clear, "Well, you won't have to worry about him anymore. I'll be at the Board tomorrow to get him out of your pathetic institution. And I expect you to replace whatever it is he left behind that's broken. He had a very nice notebook when he left this morning, but it and the fine pencil he had with him is somewhere in your pathetic, shitty building," he emphasized, turning to the cop. "You should charge that woman."

"We can't," the police officer replied gruffly.

George couldn't help but smile. When his dad finished telling them off, they laughed together over dinner. It was the happiest they'd been in months, if not years.

A/N: I'd say that George's life is improving some. Those teachers pushed him too far, but at least his father is understanding of his predicament. We'll see more from George later, after we see how Francine is doing. When we left her, she was dreaming about Coach Parker (how exciting!), but now she'll be attending one of his classes for the first time. But does her crush come with a few more problems than she realizes? We'll see in Chapter Nine.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Francine stared at the board with dream-filled eyes. Coach Peters was far more handsome now that she was in a classroom with him, and she made sure to get a front row seat to see him clearly. A few other girls had the same idea, but none of them were athletic like Francine. None of them could catch his attention like she could, especially when she somehow made through class without fainting so that she could ask him about the track team.

"Well, I haven't started any kind of practices yet, but I will in the coming weeks. What have you done before?" he asked, leaning against the board as his next class entered the room slowly, the girls taking the front seats while boys sat everywhere else.

"I did soccer and baseball growing up, but I didn't like how the soccer team was here and they wouldn't let me play baseball," Francine explained. He nodded, rubbing his chiseled chin as he thought.

"I could test you tomorrow after school to see what you can do. I only want the fastest runners, so I hope you're ready. Did any of your coaches train you in proper stretching and sprinting techniques?" he asked.

"No, but I'm sure you can teach me," Francine smiled, somehow managing not to blush despite the tingles the words gave her on the inside.

"I'm sure I can," he chuckled, his laughter making Francine's heart skip a beat. "I tell you what, just meet me here after school tomorrow and we'll go over some things. If you're ready, we'll hit the track for some testing. If you're not ready but you're eager to learn, you can try out for the track team next month and work with me more then. Deal?" he asked. Francine nodded softly, gathering her things as he smiled. She ran to her next class a very happy, and very crimson, girl. She didn't even notice the looks of contempt from the girls in her class, or the looks of worry on a few teacher's faces. They had seen school girl crushes before, but they knew that somehow this one would be different, very different.

Francine's day was spent hearing her name while she attempted to daydream about Coach Peters. A few of her teachers spoke with her after class, "We're worried about you. Quit daydreaming so much. Get your head out of the clouds."

Francine didn't want to deal with any of it. She spent her afternoon at the public track practicing for the next day. She felt people watching but she never looked up. Her mind was on pleasing Coach Peters, so much that she never noticed him watching her from the neighboring sidewalk, a light smile on his face.

A/N: Coach Peters is an interesting character, isn't he? We'll see what happens between him and Francine in a later chapter. The Read household will appear next. How does Arthur like the newest edition, Benji? We'll finally hear his true thoughts in Chapter Ten.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Arthur looked up from his math homework to seen Benji crawling into his room. Kate and DW still shared a room, but he had his own, at least most of the time. Currently Benji was avoiding a well-deserved bath, as he'd dove into their dad's flour right after dinner.

"Arthur, do you have the baby?" his mom called. Arthur picked up Benji and carried him to his mother. "Oh, thank you. Do you mind closing the door on the way out? I thought I did that to begin with…"

"He can reach the doors like these. I already told you that," Arthur murmured, turning to continue his homework.

"Arthur, can you tell me why DW got the detention already? The teachers got a report from the bus, but—"

"No food policy, remember?" Arthur interrupted. His mother sighed, taking off the rest of Benji's clothes and carefully lifting him into the water. "She was late getting off this morning too. I guess the driver was fed up, but it's not like she was very nice to begin with."

"Just thought I'd ask, Arthur. Go back to whatever's more important. I'll be fine," she sighed, her weary eyes looking around for the baby shampoo.

"Why'd you and dad have another kid if you could barely handle us?" Arthur asked coldly. She looked shocked, but she remained silent. "It wasn't fair to us. It just wasn't fair," Arthur whispered, opening the door to leave.

"We didn't expect it, Arthur. I thought I was too old," she said softly. Arthur shook his head, not accepting her answer. Even he knew how that worked now, and he knew she wasn't showing symptoms until Benji came along. "Well I'm not telling you anything else. It's none of your business, none of anyone's business."

"Whatever, Mom, believe what you want," Arthur said sternly, leaving the room.

"You come back here!" she called to him. Arthur reopened the door and stood there with an angry glare. "It isn't any of your business! No matter how old you are, you're still a child while you're in this house, and I will always be your parent! You'll show me respect or you'll live somewhere else, and Thora doesn't want any of you disrespectful brats! When's the last time you called her, Arthur? She's not going to live forever!"

Arthur said nothing as Benji began to wait. He hated yelling, so his cries ricocheted around the room like bullets. Arthur dodged them; he moved back to his room, locking his door behind him and attempting to complete his homework. His concentration was gone though. He took to reading the comic he'd checked out, a repeat that he'd already read. He got lost in the panels anyway wondering where his life went so wrong.

A/N: Poor Arthur. While Arthur probably should've held his tongue, his thoughts are out there now. We'll see if anything else goes on with him later. Next, we'll visit Binky and his family. Binky is about to get another prod in the wrong direction from his old friends. Will his morals hold or will his parents' tyranny finally work…in the wrong ways?


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Binky heard rattling downstairs, reminding him of the semi-broken laundry room window. It was just big enough for small-framed people to get through, and the footsteps on the tile floor let him know that someone was indeed in his house.

He'd gotten to bed just thirty minutes before. His parents made him stay up to finish up some housework his mom couldn't get to due to a special meeting with Mei-Lin's teachers. She might get promoted, his mom cheered, throwing a small party, which created a large mess. Binky eyed the clock, which read eleven-thirty. He was just sixteen, but staying up that late to work wasn't something he was interested in.

Glass broke in the kitchen. His father finally took notice, grabbing their gun from the hallways closet and rushing into the kitchen.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" he bellowed, cocking his gun.

"Hey, man, hey, you know me," Rattles grinned. "I was just stopping by to see Binky. Where is the big guy?"

"Get out of my house!" Binky's dad yelled. "I'll call the cops!" he added. Rattles chuckled, unlocking the back door and inching his way through it. As soon as Rattles was off the property, Binky had his booming father and his gun in his face.

"What, Dad?" Binky screamed.

"You know what! Getting your little friends to break into your house? What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I didn't know, Dad, honest!"

"I don't give a damn! You're grounded, and no after school work for anyone except me! I'll think of something for you to do, but know that you aren't leaving unless you're dying!" he screamed, slamming Binky's door and thundering back to his room. His parents then got into a screaming match over "Binky's behavior." Binky could hear laughter coming from outside, namely Rattle's. Underneath it, he could hear Molly's laugh, complete with her signature snort.

When the arguing stopped, so did the laughter. Binky was awake now, listening for any more noises. No more came, but neither did sleep. He was in deeper trouble now, which meant his project with Brain was in jeopardy. His parents never asked the details about it, never asked about his advanced classes. They only asked him to do chores, to take care of their house.

He almost wondered which life was best, a life where he was good in school but miserable at home or a life of crime. If he was with Rattles, he would have a place to stay, and they could make money getting rid of the items they stole. It almost made sense to him; he'd be away from his demanding parents and horrid little sister. Who cares about the risks? Binky knew it was wrong, very wrong, but he couldn't help but think about it. He wouldn't knock off Mr. Ratburn's house, but he didn't know if he could stay away from any other projects. He'd keep his ears out for more projects from Rattles. He liked Brain's projects better, but if this was a way for him to get away from his parents, he'd have to take it.

A/N: Binky has a hard decision to make, but we'll have to wait to see what he ends up deciding. Next, we'll visit Fern in the school's library again. Her new gothic friend is back, this time with a proposition. Will Fern help this gruff Goth or hide behind _Frankenstein_ once more?


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

**Warning: Some explicit language**

Fern looked up from her reading with a start. She'd arrived thirty minutes early to get in some private reading time, yet here stood the girl from her first day, her baggy black pants making her legs seem twice their size. Silvery chains hung from the numerous pockets, and she'd added a few to her combat boots and leather vest.

"I knew I'd find you here," the girl sneered, plopping down a thick volume before sitting cross-legged in front of the beanbag chair. "I thought you might enjoy this, if you're into dark mysteries."

"Who are you?" Fern asked. The girl smiled darkly, her black lipstick twinkling in the light.

"Snow Fire, junior, doesn't really care what you think anymore," she said, extending a hand. "I don't really care why you were looking, why you were staring. I don't care that you're a quiet fucking mouse with a socialization problem either. I just want to share these books with someone, and you seem to fit the job."

"So you care about this library?" Fern asked. Snow Fire nodded. "What about the one in town?"

"Please, that fag is ruining the place. He needs to go back to Metropolis where he belongs, but if I can't get my wish on that one, I'll fix this place instead. We've got to get people in here. I'll keep them quiet, as will she, but we've got to get these books to people or they'll shut this place down. You see the problem now, mouse?" Snow Fire asked. Fern nodded softly. "Give me your real name so I can quit sounding so bitchy to you," she smiled.

"I'm Fern," she replied, closing _Frankenstein_ and eying the new volume. "Who is that author? I've never seen the name before."

"It's a translated novel from Germany. If you're interested in reading a good foreign piece, you'll help me start this book club. Apparently none of the teachers think I'm reliable because I like to be comfortable with myself," she said, gesturing to her gothic outfit. "It doesn't help that I'm underspoken in some classes and outspoken in others, if you catch my drift. I also may or may not have anything to do with last year's vandalism crisis," she grinned darkly, eying Fern's books.

"Both are classics," Fern said softly, clutching her volumes tightly. "So if I get the book club started, it'll save the library?"

"It's not that simple, Fern, but it's a start. I'm trying to get a reward program established with the English professors, but they could care less, it seems. Maybe if the book club gets started and has the right person behind it, we could get more hits. So, are you familiar with Dr. Langley?" Snow Fire asked. Fern shook her head. "He only teaches advanced English courses, usually to those who have AP British Literature as well. If you could contact him the right way and get him onboard, you'll have a lot of luck."

"How can I approach someone like that? I'm not even in honors English."

"This is his favorite book," Snow Fire said, sliding the foreign novel in her direction. "Read it, write up a good report on it. Do you know how to do that? I already tried submitting a paper to him anonymously, but it wasn't insightful enough. He sent it back to the teacher I put it through with. That teacher thought I was crazy for trying, but if we can't get him, she'll at least help us."

"And she can't get him onboard?" Fern asked. Snow Fire shook her head fiercely, shaking the volume again. Fern picked it up. The book was at least five hundred pages; it would take four days to read, and she'd never done a good analysis paper before. "What else should I do? What if this doesn't work out?"

"I've got faith in you, mou—Fern," Snow Fire said, clearing her throat and eying the people walking by. "I've got a list of books I want to go through. You should add to it," she said, handing Fern a stapled packet of paper. Fern nodded, watching as Snow Fire quickly gathered her things and approached the desk.

Despite picking up three books the day before, she was already finished. Snow Fire may be gothic and dark, as well as bitchy, but Fern could tell she was simply misunderstood for her fashion sense. She had to at least try to muddle through the book, which would mean abandoning _Frankenstein_ again. She knew Mary would understand as she picked up the volume, hoping for a good read.

A/N: Can Fern pull off a senior-level paper at her young age? We'll find out later, but first we'll check back with Binky. It's the morning after and he's in class with Brain. Will his home issues cause too many problems with his education-minded friend? Is his decision made about joining Rattles and the gang? We'll get a few more answers in Chapter Thirteen.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Brain nudged Binky again. His paper was in fragments, and Brain was beginning to doubt whether or not his classmate could handle such a huge project. He also seemed hungry, his stomach growling loudly through the roll and into the class itself.

"Binky, are you okay?" Brain asked. Binky nodded quickly, his pencil hovering above his hand-written paper. The directions said it had to be typed, but when Brain asked, Binky remained silent. "Binky, are you sure you're okay?" Brain asked softly. Binky brushed him off, scribbling furiously through a grammatical error.

"How's it going, boys? Um…do you plan on typing this by tomorrow?" the teacher asked, eying Binky's paper carefully.

Suddenly Binky stood up, fleeing the room. The entire class stared at the slammed door, confused looks on their faces. The teacher remained quiet, moving to his desk to fill out some paperwork. Brain watched nervously. What would happen with Binky?

A knock sounded at the door. An assistant principal escorted Binky back to his desk before gesturing for the teacher to go outside. When he was gone, low murmurs sounded throughout the room. No one knew what was going on, and Brain was the most curious of all. He remained quiet, hoping Binky would say something. He remained silent, even after the teacher asked him to the front for a conference.

The two were asked to stay back after class, but only Brain remained. The teacher sighed, handing Brain a short note.

"He's having some problems at home. The school got a call about a former student who's taken to robbing local homes. Apparently he's trying to recruit Binky or something. They wanted the counselors to ask him about a break in last night, but he's not saying anything right now. He'll be pulled out his next class as well, but that's not why I'm talking to you," the teacher sighed, tapping the packet on ancient China. "I think you'll end up doing this project on your own. Binky seemed really happy to be here, but if he doesn't have support from home, he won't be a productive student."

"What about our project though? Will my grade be based off his problems?" Brain asked with great emotion. His grades were extremely important to him, as they'd always been.

"The call mentioned that Binky was not to go anywhere but home after school. Does that answer your question about his involvement?" the teacher asked. Brain nodded. "When it comes to your grade, as long as your presentation is solid, I will give you a solid grade. Binky will be graded on his own performance, though I want to keep his personal issues in mind. I think he needs help, and I want you to tell me if you learn anything more about him."

"I'll do what I can," Brain nodded, leaving the room and rushing off to class. On his way, he noticed Binky locked in an office with all four school counselors and three other administrators. He was sulking, his mouth held tightly in the closed position. Brain felt for him, but he had to keep his education in mind. He just hoped Binky would make the same decision with his own education.

A/N: I realize poor Binky is nowhere near making up his mind, but I hope he makes the right decision, at least the one that's right for him. Next, we'll check in with George and his father. His new life without his mother is going quite well, but does a chance encounter with a former classmate give him more to think about than carving and homeschooling? Check out Chapter Fourteen to see who the classmate is, and who has given George something to think about.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

George looked up from his carving. A math worksheet was on a computer screen nearby, but this order was far more important. It had to perfect, a replica piece from the past. The dimensions were printed and hanging above him, between his work area and his father's.

"So, this would've been your third day of school. How do you like the new methods?" he grinned, eying the open screen. "I will ask that you keep on top of things, just in case your mom bitches and whines in court about your lack of a good education," he chuckled. She was already doing that outside of court. She called as soon as she heard the news.

"This order is far more important, Dad. I'll do it before I go to bed," George promised. His father slapped his back gently.

"That's my boy," he smiled, getting back to his own work.

Wood pieces filled his day, his hands taking on the smell of whatever type he was working on. He'd always admired his dad's work, but he never knew how rewarding it could be until these moments, when he tried washing his hands four times to get the smell of varnish off his hands, as well as the slimy, sticky texture.

"Try this, son," his father chuckled, passing him some heavy-duty soap before heading downstairs to order dinner from a local Chinese place. It would be delivered within twenty minutes, so George finally did his math worksheet. After years of being told how stupid he was, he was happy to finally have his education within his own hands and not someone else's. He aced the worksheet, the computer program giving him a ninety-six out of a hundred. That had never happened before.

When the doorbell rang, George eagerly answered it. He opened the door with his dad's wallet in-hand, but he was surprised to see one of his old classmates doing the delivering.

"Prunella?" he asked. She nodded, handing him his order after looking it over.

"We were out of soy sauce packets. I hope you don't mind," she smiled, accepting his cash.

"Oh, we prefer the other sauce. I guess Dad forgot. My mom usually orders," he chuckled nervously. Prunella nodded, giving him some change. "Oh no, keep it," he said, pushing it away. "Mom always did that, I know."

"What happened to your mom?" Prunella asked, quickly adding, "if you don't mind me asking."

"It's fine. They're getting a divorce. She just isn't right for us," George said with a light smile. "I'm home schooled now too. Are you still at the high school?"

"Oh please, George, I got promoted in the seventh grade. I thought you knew I was in college now," she laughed. It wasn't a good laugh, but George smiled anyway.

"Sorry. Not many people talk to me. I'd rather be carving anyway," he said, still trying to get sawdust from under his nails. "I hope you like college, and thanks for the delivery. I know we're a little out of your coverage area."

"No problem," she nodded. She started to turn back to her car but she stopped. "Hey, have you heard about Muffy?" she asked. George gave her a perplexed look. "Oh, I guess not. Well, her father got fired from his job. They might have to sell the mansion. She's been trying to hide it for days now, maybe even weeks. I only say this because a friend of mine saw her being mean to some people at the library. I was wondering if you were one of them."

"No, I don't read much anymore," George whispered. He was shocked that the preppy Miss Muffy, who'd always treated everyone else so harshly for not having as much money as her family, could finally be on the way down. "Thanks for letting me know. I'll keep an eye out for her, I guess. With the homeschooling and the carving, I don't think I'll be getting out much."

"Well, if you do," she said, turning. "Thanks for the tip, and I hope things with your family go well. Divorces can be really nasty."

George thanked her before taking the food to the table. His father distributed the portions, careful to take an extra wonton for himself. They ate clumsily with the free chopsticks, something his mom had never allowed, and they ate dessert in the living room while watching television. They stayed there until well after George's previous ten o'clock bedtime. They were happy, but George's mind still thought of Muffy during the commercials. He wondered how the diva would take the news of her family's loss, as well as the trip downwards back to middle-class life.

A/N: So, those of you wondering where Prunella went now have an answer. George seems to be doing fine, but is he right to be thinking about Muffy's new future? In Chapter Fifteen, we'll find out just where she is now, as well as check up with a few of the others in English class.

Also, I have a one-shot up covering DW's first day as requested by a loyal fan (note that I also include a handful of lesser-known characters from DW's age group). If you want me to do similar one-shots, feel free to ask. You can either review or PM me with your suggestions. Note: I'm already planning a Prunella/Marina side story to show you what they're up to, also as requested in a previous review.

Another note: I've decided to divide the piece into parts. Part 1 is titled "First Days" and goes until Chapter 83. Part 2 is called "Settling In" and will go from Chapter 84 to whatever chapter I end at^^ There will likely be more parts after Part 2, and I plan to keep them all within this story. This piece has gotten much larger than I thought it would be, and though it will pain many of you, I plan on releasing chapters slowly over the next few months rather than a lot at once. I tend to have problems finishing pieces, so this gives me the opportunity to ease up on my writing but not ruin your reading experience. I do not mind hinting at future plot events for those who ask, but I'll be keeping a few spoilers to myself (I'll tell you if the person/part you ask about is something I'm not willing to give away).

Finally, I want to thank all of you who are reading and reviewing regularly. I've been on this site since 2009, and while some of my old pieces are nothing to sing praises at, I have never had such a good reception as I've had with this piece. Even if I don't reply to your review, I read them. I appreciate every favorite and follow as well. All of you who are being so kind help keep me inspired to continue this piece, and I can't wait to continue on this journey with all of you. Thank you for all of your support. You're the best fans a writer can have^^


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Fifth period literature was torture for poor Arthur. His book, distributed to him on the second day of class, already had finger paint on the cover thanks to Benji's antics. The teacher gave him a stern look when she saw the damage, but at least he didn't take his new child scissors after the novel.

Arthur at least had his book. Two rows up, Fern had forgotten hers, or rather conveniently left it out of her bag. She was halfway through the novel Snow Fire gave her, but to carry it and her new textbooks, she had to leave something behind.

"Fern, do you mind reading the next paragraph for us please?" the teacher asked, a certain moody tone in her voice. Fern looked up from her notebook; no reading book was in sight. "Oh," the teacher grinned. "Would someone else like to try a stab at it? Jenna…no book. Arthur? Or is your book too far gone to decipher?" the teacher asked with a dangerous glare.

"The inside is fine," Arthur replied curtly, looking down to begin reading. Before he could get to his place to begin, the teacher's book slammed hard against her desk.

"All of you pathetic students! It's the third day and you've already thrown every one of your averages underneath the bus! You spend hours wasting away in front of your stupid computers! Why did you even bother coming to school?" she raged. Her face was the color of roasted tomatoes when she finished, her panting the only sound in the room, at least until someone knocked on the door. "Oh now what?" she muttered under her breath, opening the door to reveal one of the assistant principals. "Oh, hello. A new student?" the teacher asked kindly, her rage carefully hidden in her clinched fists, conveniently placed behind her back.

"Just one, thankfully. There's a few more transferring in tomorrow, so keep your eyes open. Oh, what a good class," the assistant principal smiled, eying the fearfully-silent group. Snickers broke out on the back row as their teacher withheld a dragon-like roar of anger. She quickly led the student inside, causing a few to go silent again.

"Introduce yourself then take a seat somewhere," the teacher muttered, going to the front to grab a novel, whispering in a very audible tone, "and maybe you'll be better than they are about your damn books."

"I'm Muffy Crosswire from Montana," she whispered, taking a seat as far back as she could.

Arthur and Fern stared in unison. Just days before during their summer vacation, Muffy Crosswire and her prep school friends had tormented Arthur and many others in town. Now she was here in Elwood City High?

"Here's your book. Bring it or get detention. And if it's damaged, you get a detention," the teacher said with a devious grin, eying the other students who fell into the category. "Stay after class those of you who fit those categories. Arthur, I believe you were trying to decipher the lines through teeth marks or something?" the teacher asked. No one snickered this time as Arthur withheld a scoff.

When the class was over, Muffy quickly left the room. Fern and Arthur stayed behind with their slips, as did the quiet Jenna and about half the class. The teacher gave them all hateful glares as they left the room, careful to make them think twice about forgetting their books again, or allowing wild apes to handle their books in Arthur's case.

Outside the room, Fern caught up to Arthur.

"Do you know why she's here?" Fern asked. Arthur shrugged. He then told Fern about his library encounter with Muffy before summer ended. "That's awful! I wonder why she came here though."

"Hey Arthur!" Kevin called from further up the hallway. The two had art together for sixth period, and Arthur rushed to meet him for the class. Fern went her own way, careful to see if Muffy appeared in her sixth-period history class. She wasn't there, but Fern knew she was somewhere, probably trying to hide herself from prying eyes.

A/N: Now we see where Muffy will be for later chapters, and we also see where Jenna is (I believe someone asked about her already). Next, we'll catch up with Francine in a double chapter. I forgot to cover her meeting with Coach Parker! So, the first half of Chapter Sixteen is her first meeting with him, and the second half of the chapter is the day after. Will Francine be the only one getting his special attention? Keep reading to find out.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

(A/N: Totally forgot about Francine's meeting with Coach Peters. Flashback one day. The second part of this chapter will be the third day of school)

Francine entered the room to see three other girls. All of them were in workout gear waiting for the halls to clear so they could begin stretching. This was an impromptu meeting, the board said, and Coach Peters would return to them after a quick faculty meeting.

The girls eyed each other, standing around the organized desks with an entire four-desk grouping between each girl. Francine was on the far left, then an older brunette, then a blonde, and finally a girl with jet-black hair stood on the far side. It was awkward the way they all stared at each other, but as soon as Coach Peters entered the room, they all stared at him intently, glaring at any of the other girls if they dared move.

"Alright, this is just a little meeting for those interested in the track team who don't have much experience. We'll start by doing some stretches. Since we're all spread out well enough, we'll start. Eyes on me," he said, turning around to face the board. Smiles flickered on everyone's faces as he bent down, revealing his perfectly tight butt. Francine felt herself grow crimson as she copied his movement. The girl with jet-black hair remained standing, her mouth half-open from happiness.

"Coach Peters?" someone called from the door. The black-haired girl immediately moved to be like the rest as Coach Peters rose up to see who was calling him. Another coach was in the doorway, gesturing for him to come over. "Um, what is this?"

"Just an interest meeting. They wanted to know some stretching as well," Coach Peters replied. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

"The real interest meeting is next week. Go home, girls," the coach called to them. Each reluctantly grabbed their things. Rather than glare at each other, they glared at the coach who ruined their fun, especially the girl with jet-black hair.

"I say we try again tomorrow. No one has to know," the blonde grinned. Francine agreed. She'd have to talk to him about that, but only after she'd practiced well this afternoon.

All the other girls moved towards the bus stop or the parking lots, but Francine followed the sidewalk to the public track. Others were already jogging, so she joined them, keeping pace with the song on her mp3 player.

She felt him watching. She looked up, waving gently. When she was going around her next lap, he called her over.

"You have good form," he smiled, handing her a bottle of cold water fresh from a nearby machine. "I'm sorry about the meeting being cancelled. I've texted the other girls to tell them we'll meet here tomorrow after school. Can you make the meeting?" he asked. Francine nodded sternly. "Good. I look forward to seeing you."

He walked away, leaving Francine to her practice. She did one more lap than usual before making her way to the bus stop. He'd inspired her to be a better athlete with his magical words. Francine was a nice shade of pink for the next day.

Francine noticed three extra girls on the field as Coach Peters arrived. They got into their stances and began to stretch, catching the attention of three other runners who calmly joined the group.

"Now, make sure you only go as far as you can and no further," Coach Peters called to them all, switching to another position. Francine could go farther than the other girls, she observed, but she could tell a few were only bending down far enough so they could see past the others. Coach Peters was wearing an even tighter uniform today, with a tight black shirt to match.

"Coach, am I doing this right?" the blonde from the first day called. Coach Peters asked them to hold their positions so he could check all of their forms.

"Everyone looks really good. Whoa, we've gotten a few more. If you ladies are Elwood City High students, you're welcome to join our track team. There will be a meeting next Thursday for anyone interested," he smiled. Quite a few people rose to grab their phones, making pink notes with hearts beside it. Francine did them all one better; she carved the date into her mind, eager to please Coach Parker as she remained in stance.

"What time, Coach?" one of the new women asked.

"Four sharp in the resource room of the gym. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors only. I think we'll have too many if we let the freshmen join," he responded, eying two people who must've been freshmen because they groaned loudly. "Don't worry, girls, there's always next term. Now, next stretch," he said, moving to the front and going into a different move.

His ass looked so amazing in his sweat pants that half the girls remained standing, only moving down when he turned around to check them all. He smiled at the enthusiastic bunch, especially Francine. She kept herself from blushing by focusing on her latest daydream. She'd win every track meet to prove herself, every event she could handle. That would show him how amazing she was. That would keep his eyes on her.

"Alright, run a few laps for me. I'll time everyone from this point here," he said, pointing to a line.

Francine pushed herself, getting the fastest time despite being one of the last to start. She saw Coach Peters smile when she passed by him. Her magic was working.

A/N: Sorry about forgetting Francine and her schoolgirl crush! At this point, she's pretty well falling for him, but what's his stance? We'll get back to them later. Next, we'll cover some characters we haven't focused on yet, Rattles and Molly. Rattles wants to hit Mr. Ratburn's house, but will things go as planned? Check out Chapter Seventeen to find out!


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

**Warning: Some explicit language**

"Shut up, Molly, we're going in today. They'll be finished tomorrow and all the good stuff will be gone," Rattles whispered, getting out of the moving truck and fishing the keys from his pocket. No one had touched the house in days, but he knew there were still valuables inside. He'd spotted a dresser in a downstairs bedroom that he knew Molly could resell, but his eyes were on the kitchen appliances still shining brightly.

"And there's no alarm system?" Molly asked, flipping her hair as she exited the moving truck. Her "uniform" was too baggy, collecting at her middle and feet to give her an odd shape.

"Come on, Molly! I checked everything, every fucking detail. Just get over here with the dolly, okay?" Rattles asked fiercely, approaching the front door. He slid the key into the lock, moving it around gently. He heard it click, thinking he had unlocked it. He smiled, turning and waiting for Molly to arrive with the cart. She approached, so they opened the door.

"Let's leave this while we check the house. I have a bad feeling about this, Rattles," Molly murmured. Rattles finally agreed with Molly, pointing to an area in a cleared-out sitting room for her to leave the large dolly. He then led them towards the kitchen, pointing to the new double oven.

"He just got that three weeks before his stroke. He maybe used it once, for that bake sale at the library," Rattles grinned, rubbing the metallic surface and taking a deep breath. "This is probably the greatest thing I've ever seen."

"Well let's just grab it and go, Rattles. I don't like this!" Molly said sternly, turning as she heard something on the stairs. "Rattles, let's go," she coaxed, edging towards the back door.

"It's nothing, girl. Calm the fuck down, will you?" Rattles hissed, pulling out the oven to see if it was still connected. "Go get the dolly so we can haul this out. They must've disconnected it when he left."

"I'm leaving. You do what you want," Molly said, bolting out the back door. Rattles threw his hands up at her, cursing under his breath. He turned back towards the oven, moving it out a little more so that he could load it.

"You aren't supposed to take that," a woman called. Rattles froze as fear rushed over him. "Excuse me? Put that back," the woman said sternly, stepping forward. "Wait a second…you aren't from the company," she said. Rattles finally looked up when he heard a small click. His eyes met a small handgun.

"Hey, lady, I'll just be on my way. No harm done," Rattles chuckled nervously, holding his hands up and backing up towards the door. The woman smiled, shaking her head. "I'll put it back. We didn't take anything else."

"I can't believe you, son," she said sadly, another click sounding on her gun.

Suddenly, a loud noise distracted her from outside. Rattles bolted out the back door, jumping a fence dividing the front and back yards and rushing into the moving truck. The sound they heard inside was Molly starting the truck and honking the horn.

"You either start listening to me or I'm done with you, Rattles," Molly said sternly as Rattles burned rubber to get away from the gun-wielding woman. "You'll be wanted now. I saw her grab a phone too. She'll call, give them a sketch, and you'll be a wanted man. You just should've left it be."

"I thought it'd be a good score, okay? Leave it! You're just trying to take Barnes' side," Rattles countered. Molly looked away. "Wait, he is influencing you."

"You heard what happened in that house. They're torturing him, then here you come making it worse for him. I get why he rejected me now. He just didn't want anyone else to be a part of that," she whispered, turning back to him. "You've made it worse for him, for everyone. The rest of the world may've turned its back on me, but I don't think you're any better."

"What are you trying to say? I've given you so much—"

"And I'm grateful for that, for everything, but I need to try again. I'm going to visit my mom tomorrow. Maybe if I promise to get back in school she'll let me back in."

"I can't believe you, Molly. After everything…. You know what, just get out. Go, do what you want," Rattles scoffed, slamming on the brakes and unlocking the doors. Molly gave him a look over before stepping out of the truck. She moved onto the sidewalk, watching him drive away.

"Enjoy your life, Rattles," she whispered, turning in the opposite direction and going on her way.

A/N: Rattles is a little lucky to alive, huh? We'll continue with Molly's story for the next chapter. Does she make it home? Will her family accept her? What about Binky and his tough decisions? It's an immediate reaction in Chapter Eighteen. Enjoy.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Binky entered his house after school to hear his parents battling a screaming Mei-Lin. She desperately wanted a new keychain being given away at the mall, one that was made for fans of a certain band. Mei-Lin was determined to make her mother walk or drive her down to the mall, and Binky walked right into the trap.

"You wait, Mei-Lin! We need to discuss something with your brother," his mother leered, turning to face him.

But Mei-Lin wouldn't have it. She started throwing a full-out tantrum, stomping her feet and rolling on the floor while screaming. Their mother scoffed, shoving money into Binky's hand.

"I'm expecting a call from your school about your little outburst. Take your sister to get whatever it is she wants, then you come straight home so I can deal with you," their mother said sternly. Binky turned, accepting the kind hand of the quiet and smiling Mei-Lin.

Once outside, Mei-Lin tried to skip ahead, but Binky kept a firm grip on her. He was expecting to see Rattles somewhere, or at least some other danger. He hadn't left the house like this in ages, and considering the trouble he was probably in, his parents were showing an odd form of tolerance.

"Can we just cross? There's no cars!" Mei-Lin hissed, stomping her left foot. Binky ignored her, staring ahead at the red hand telling them not to go. Mei-Lin tried pulling him across, but Binky held firm. His patience was answered and the light changed a moment later. He looked both ways before letting them cross.

Up ahead, he saw James and his mother. James was Molly's little brother who was the same age as DW. His mother kicked Molly out when she decided to drop out of school, so Molly lived with Rattles. She rejected him on Rattles' front porch during one of Binky's final visits. School was ending, so he needed to be home for summer chores. He also didn't like how Rattles was changing, how the Tough Customers had become more than schoolyard bullies.

"Let's…just…go!" Mei-Lin struggled at the next cross light. Binky held strong, his thoughts elsewhere. Next to James was another figure with brown hair. Binky stared, wondering if it was really Molly. He knew that would mean something big, something unexpected.

The light turned. After they crossed, James stopped to look at a flyer on a telephone pole. Mei-Lin passed behind them, accidentally brushing on the brunette's bag. She turned. Molly.

"Binky? What are you doing?" Molly asked.

"Mei-Lin wants to go to the mall," Binky replied, holding firm on her hand as she tried to pull away again. "When did you come back home?"

"Don't let him influence you, Binky," Molly whispered softly, turning to her mother. "Do you mind if I walk with him for a minute? I'll come right back."

Surprisingly, her mother let her go. Molly walked to the right of Binky, playing with her hands as they came to the next red hand. She told him quickly that Rattles was wanted for breaking into the Ratburn house, or at least she thought so.

"When was this?" Binky asked. Molly sighed quietly.

"This afternoon, or noon rather. I left because I heard her coming down the stairs. Rattles wouldn't listen. He kicked me out of the moving van, but I'd been thinking of going home for a while. I don't like what he's doing. I'm even going to take GED classes to get back good with Mom. I promised her I was through with the Tough Customers. I just hope she believes me," she whispered.

"I was thinking of working with him," Binky said after they crossed the street. "My parents aren't getting any easier to deal with, so I thought he might have something good for me. I guess now," Binky said, holding tight on Mei-Lin as the mall came into view.

"I should get back. I promised to help James with his homework. That kid missed me a lot," she smiled, flipping her hair a little. "I've missed you a lot too, Binky. We've had some bad times together, but maybe things can get better for us from here."

"Faster!" Mei-Lin begged, running forward as far as she could with her hand still in Binky's.

"You should call if you can," Molly said, passing him a scrap of paper. "I know it's not easy for you, especially with Rattles interfering. I want the best for you, for both of us."

Binky nodded, accepting the scrap. He then let Mei-Lin drag him towards the mall. Molly stood to watch, flipping her hair again before navigating the lights towards home.

A/N: Binky is getting ever-closer to making his ultimate decision, but with Molly's change in sides, who knows what he'll choose? Next, we'll see who's hiding at the food court of the mall. Which Elwood City High student is stuck at a corndog counter? Will Binky and Mei-Lin encounter this mystery student? Read Chapter Nineteen to find out.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Muffy peered out from the storage room apprehensively. She never thought she'd ever have to work, let alone at a mall food court during the afternoon shift. A few of her new classmates from Elwood City High had already passed by, ordering corndogs from her coworker, Jenna. She smiled brightly as a few more customers came up ordering a veggie corndog, an item that wasn't ready yet.

"Muffy, do you mind grabbing another batch from the back?" Jenna asked kindly. It was the moment of truth: Muffy had to emerge from her hiding place doing inventory to do the job Jenna requested. She emerged, head down, carrying a tray of veggie corndogs. She placed them in the fryer as Jenna asked the customers to wait a moment.

"Anything else?" Muffy asked carefully, knowing their manager was watching.

"No, you can get back to doing inventory. You know you'll be out here one day, don't you?" Jenna asked. Muffy shrugged, moving into the storage room. Her manger followed, looking over her work.

"Muffy, I'm impressed with your inventory skills, but Jenna is right. I'll start your register training tomorrow, unless you'd rather move on to something more private," he said gently. Muffy sighed gently.

"I'll do it," she said. Her manager smiled.

"I knew I could count on you. Oh, your father sold my brother his car six years ago and it's still running smoothly. He's a good man, your father. I'm glad to have you here," he smiled, disappearing out front as a rush of people approached the counter, three of them Elwood City High students.

Muffy thought of her father, sitting at home and trying his best to find a new job. Her mother was about to leave him, going back to her family for better financial chances. Muffy wanted to go with her, but for now, she'd have to stay with her father.

"Mei-Lin, you'll ruin your dinner!" Binky argued. Muffy peeked out the door to see Binky arguing with his little sister. She nervously moved to the far side of the storage room, but she dreaded what came next.

"They have the best cheesecake bites! I want cheesecake bites!" Mei-Lin shrieked. Those items had to be made on-the-spot to keep them fresh, meaning frozen trays of them were in the back with Muffy, meaning she'd be the one pulling them out, if Binky couldn't hold his ground.

"No, I'll get yelled at!"

"They always yell at you! They'll probably kick you out!" Mei-Lin countered, screaming loudly. The food court was mostly silent as the screaming match continued. Binky, despite the insults, held his ground. He dragged her to the exit while people watched, some impressed with his stance and others giving him dirty looks for whatever reason.

"Muffy, break time," the manager called, gesturing for her to follow him to the staff room. On one of the tables was a stack of inventory paperwork. "I can handle the back," he smiled, heading back to the counter.

Muffy sighed with relief. She was glad no one had seen her yet, but she knew the horror was coming soon.

A/N: Muffy was lucky in this chapter, but will her new job be discovered later? We'll catch up with her in a later chapter. Next, Arthur is on a journey with his own stubborn little sister. Will an afternoon of door-to-door hell with DW give him a chance encounter with an old friend? Read on to Chapter Twenty to find out.

Also, I've changed the rating back to K+. While there is explicit language in _some_ chapters, as well as some sexual references, I feel a warning in those chapters will be sufficient. If anyone is offended and wants me to censor the language to maintain the K+ rating, I'm willing to do that for you…as a personal favor, not as an edit to the entire piece. I can send you the piece using the docX feature with the curse words bleeped out. I promise not to up the rating again: If it's too explicit and I feel the scene is needed, I'll do a side story one-shot with the proper rating. Truly, after searching the entire document for the top-tier words (you know the ones), they're used less than 20 times in the entire piece (almost 90,000 words at the moment and over 100 chapters). With those numbers in mind, I don't think the piece needs a T rating; Snow Fire just needs to watch her mouth:D.

Thanks again for your continued support, my loyal readers, and enjoy the piece at its new K+ rating.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Arthur groaned loudly as they approached yet another house. DW was asked to sell magazine subscriptions for the school's art program, so they decided to visit their neighbors in an attempt to get some hard sells. They knew Grandma Thora would buy some when they called, and maybe even Grandpa Dave if the nurses of his nursing home would allow the call. But selling to neighbors was hard, and DW insisted this would help her win the grand prize, a limo pizza party for her and the other top-sellers.

"DW, we've gone too far," Arthur said sternly, eying the house they were about to ring the doorbell of. He knew it was a house of one of his classmates, but it had been a really long time since he went there. He couldn't even remember who the house belonged to.

"Oh, shut up, Arthur," DW hissed, ringing the doorbell. "I have to get as many as possible, and Mom said I couldn't go alone so get over it."

"Can I help you?" a tall man asked. His moose antlers were streaked with saw dust. It was Mr. Lundgren, George's father. He immediately gave Arthur the once-over, but businesswoman DW didn't give him a chance to ask any questions. She immediately started her lines about the subscriptions, memorized from the pamphlet that came with the book.

"Arthur? What are you doing here?" George called from the garage. George was streaked with a dark color, and when he approached, he smelled like a vile chemical. DW grimaced at the smell, but she kept going, easing the book into Mr. Lundgren's hands so he'd hopefully choose one of the subscriptions, or more.

"Ah, they have some wood magazines. Do you mind coming in so I can fill out these papers? I was just getting George and me a light snack," Mr. Lundgren smiled, letting everyone into the house. George now had his answer, but he was too distracted by cleaning himself up to sit at the table with the others.

"My teacher says the first issues will arrive October the first, which is about two months away. And if you aren't satisfied, you can call her to tell her about it," DW said matter-of-factly, nodding with a smile as she remembered the line. She'd stuttered over it at the last house they'd gone to where someone had actually bought a subscription. Arthur secretly hoped she'd just be quiet and want to head home, but his wish was not granted.

"George, I haven't seen you at school. I know it's just the fourth day tomorrow, but I thought I saw you before…," Arthur whispered, trying to make small talk as George finally sat down.

"Oh, I'm homeschooled now. I was held back anyway, so why not? I can't drop out for another year anyway, so I might as well make the most of it," George smiled.

"George is doing very well with his assignments so far. George, do you want something? They have a puppet magazine here. It's for kids, but I'm sure you could learn a few things," Mr. Lundgren said, trying to pass George the book. George shook his head, turning back to Arthur.

"That sucks about them holding you back. I always thought you were pretty smart," Arthur murmured. George shrugged.

"I've always had trouble learning, but a lot of my teachers didn't really seem to care. I don't have that problem now. Most of my classes are online, so I don't have to deal with a real teacher. I do want to continue with wood shop. Oh, do you think you could give him this letter for me? I typed it up, but I couldn't find his address online."

"I don't mind. Is he still on the first floor near the gym?" Arthur asked. Unlike George, Arthur had never been interested in wood carving, though he always liked the work George's father did. He's the one who replaced the front cabinet door that Benji ruined when he first learned how to walk. Arthur wasn't inspired to emulate the work; he avoided vocational classes like shop at all costs.

"Thanks for delivering that for us, Arthur. It means a lot," Mr. Lundgren smiled, passing back a stack of forms to DW, who eagerly placed them into her bag. She finished her snack before going into her line about the magazine arrivals again. They ignored it, kindly telling them goodbye.

"I think we have enough now, DW. Let's go home; it'll be dark soon," Arthur said when they left. They began the walk home with George's eyes watching them as they moved up the sidewalk.

"Do you miss your classmates, George?" Mr. Lundgren asked, putting his hand on his son's shoulders. George shook his head. "Why not, son? You seemed a little nostalgic."

"I miss the way things were, how easy they were," George whispered. "Arthur reminds me of the fourth grade, when Mr. Ratburn actually cared how I was learning."

"Arthur said he thought you were really smart. I think your teachers knew that too."

George shrugged, moving back into the shop. His father followed and they worked silently for the rest of the afternoon.

A/N: Arthur seems to be getting along alright with the demanding DW, and the lives of George and his father seem perfect. We'll see if the two former Ratburn students reconnect in a later chapter. Now we'll check in with Brain and his project. With Binky missing in action, will Brain leave his overachieving attitude behind? You probably already know the answer to that:D But does Binky make a surprise after-midnight appearance? See Chapter Twenty-One for the answers!


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Brain's weary eyes eyed his clock. The letters were red and blurry, blending together into a blob. But he could tell each of the numbers had two digits; it was finally past midnight.

He decided to do the paper himself. He didn't trust his teacher to just give him an amazing grade when his partner was in the wind, lost in family drama and who knew what else. Brain had to do it all, just as he'd done since early grade school. How else did anyone expect him to be so far ahead?

"Alan, are you going to bed any time soon?" his mother called from the hallway. Brain didn't respond. "Okay then, son. Don't push yourself so hard. It's just the first week."

Brain looked over his packet on ancient China again. There were missing facts, wrong facts, then too many facts. It all depended on the subjects the pages were about, but all had flaws. He was beginning to dislike this teacher already. It wasn't about the workload the first week, he wanted to tell his mom; it was about impressions. And his teacher wasn't rubbing off on him very well, and neither was Binky's situation onto his own reputation.

Suddenly, he heard something hit his window. Brain peered out. A large shape was standing on his lawn. It launched another round of mulch from the front garden. Binky was there.

"I only have a few hours," Binky said when Brain let him in through the front door. His parents were locked in their bedroom; Binky slipped in without being noticed.

"I already have some of the paper, or did you want to do your own?" Brain asked. Binky scoffed, taking a seat in Brain's guest chair. Brain slid his new laptop to him. Binky opened a blank word processing document. "Okay, question answered," Brain nodded, sliding him the packet.

"I might need you to print this, but I don't mind writing it. I want to try, Brain. I can't let them stop me, not anymore."

"Do you mind telling me what's going on with you?" Brain asked. Binky shrugged.

"I guess there's always that one kid who doesn't get as much attention. I just get the wrong attention," he sighed, beginning to type carefully. "Mei-Lin might get into a private academy on scholarship without even trying. Do you know how much my parents wanted that to be me? You were born smart. I know you actually work, but you've always had that touch. So what if you cried in kindergarten? I want to cry right now, but I don't."

"I'm sorry they treat you like that," Brain whispered. Binky shook his head sternly, giving him a firm look.

"Don't pity me. I haven't gone down the wrong road yet. I won't," Binky said sternly.

"The Tough Customers?" Brain asked. Binky shook his head, a light smirk on his face.

"There's just one left. Molly went back home. I saw her this afternoon when I had to take Mei-Lin to the mall. Her mom took her back, and she should get her GED soon if she works at it. That leaves Rattles, and Molly said he's probably wanted."

"I'm glad you're choosing this. If you ever need any help, please let us know. My mom doesn't mind, really she doesn't. As long as you work hard, she might even let you stay here if you need to. Don't give up, okay? I'm glad you came over," Brain said, turning to his presentation.

They worked hard until a little after one. Brain stopped to proofread the paper, which was very solid. Brain promised to print the paper the next morning. He then let Binky out, watching his shadow disappear up the street before returning upstairs. He finished his presentation just before two, then he enjoyed four hours of solid sleep. Binky was on his mind throughout that time. He was proud of him. His words were genuine. He started the night doubting him, but now he was truly proud. He knew their project would be a success, and maybe the first week would end on a good note after all.

A/N: Binky seems to have picked the right road after all. Hopefully their project will go well in the morning, and the same goes for Fern, who has finished reading the foreign novel for Dr. Langley. She's about to present her paper to the doctor. Will it be a success?


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Fern knocked on Dr. Langley's office door. She had a pass from her ally, who also proofread the paper she wrote after dinner the day before. The only person who didn't know Fern was ready was Snow Fire, who was curled up in the back corner of the library with _Frankenstein_. Fern envied her, but she knew this mission was important. A short conversation with the library revealed that aside from Snow Fire and herself, only teachers and literature students checked out books. Everyone else went downtown to get ebooks from the new librarian.

The door opened and a very old man looked Fern over. He gave a flicker of a smirk before asking, "Can I help you?"

"I wanted to make an appeal to you, Doctor," Fern nodded, presenting her paper to him. "I'm a sophomore looking to help the school's library by starting a book club. To see if you were interested, I wrote this paper for this novel," she explained, holding up the volume. Dr. Langley immediately smiled.

"I thought no one would ever do this. Come in, come in," he said, rushing back to his desk. Fern sat in one of the chairs across from him, eying the office with a light smile. Bookshelves lined each wall, and most were so filled that books were stacked on top in piles of ten or fifteen. All of the books were older, but Fern only recognized a few classics.

It was an awkward five minutes while Fern waited for Dr. Langley to read through her paper. When he finished, the first bell rang outside. He eyed a small clock on his desk and sighed heavily.

"There's never enough time for the joys of life. Well, I'm sure everyone will be understanding," he smiled. "It's been a very long time since a student showed interest in multiple areas, one for themselves and one for someone else. I know this method was suggested to you because you told me so, but…I'm glad they did suggest this. Your paper is a sophomore-level paper, but it's a good one. I may use it as an example when I get back to my seniors. They've become just as complacent as the library's former patrons.

"I'll help you with your organization, but it will be understood that I'll have a big hand in the book list, the participants, maybe a few other things. I have a movement of my own that you may be interested in," he said, passing Fern a pamphlet. "I'm firmly against that new guy and his pathetic ebooks. They either start offering classics that are easily Creative Commons by now or we're boycotting the whole place."

"Do you think we could do that?" Fern asked. Dr. Langley chuckled, nodding sternly. "I'm sure we won't mind. I know I don't, even though they do have some of the books I want to read. I can find them elsewhere of course," Fern smiled. The tardy bell rang above.

"Well it's settled. I'll see the principal later to get this started. I want from you a list of current participants and ideas on how to get the others involved. Posters, flyers, anything that you think will work," he said, quickly scribbling her a pass. Fern accepted it, grabbing her things and rushing off to class.

Dr. Langley followed her outside. After dropping a quick email to the principal, he joined his loud class of seniors who were taking advantage of his lateness. He took his spot at the podium, cleared his throat to get their attention, and held up Fern's paper.

"It's pathetic when sophomores behave better than my seniors. Listen up, hellians, I have a paper to read that may not be up to my usual standards, but she's never had a Langley Lecture," he beamed, diving into Fern's paper.

Fern was in her first class taking deep breaths. She'd succeeded. She'd actually succeeded.

A/N: Congratulations, Fern! How interesting that Dr. Langley wants the ebook program altered or shut down. We'll see how his initiative, as well as the book club, takes hold in later chapters. Next we enter geometry class with Arthur, as well as two students who were misplaced for the first days of school. How will these two students interact? See Chapter Twenty-Three for answers.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Muffy received stares from her sophomore classmates. She'd been mistakenly placed in a junior-level math course the day before. The error was caught, and now she was in a class with her former classmates, specifically Arthur. He eyed her carefully as the teacher passed out worksheets, taking up homework as she went.

"Psst, Arthur!" a voice called. Arthur looked up to Francine, who'd also been in another class before today. Francine was behind Arthur, eying Muffy as well. "What is she doing here? I thought she was at the prep school or whatever."

"Her family has problems," Arthur replied, accepting a worksheet as Muffy's gaze moved around the room. "I had literature with her yesterday. I wonder if she'll still be there if our schedules are messed up."

"Who cares?" Francine scoffed. "She should've gone somewhere else, that stuck-up bitch."

Francine was the last person Muffy targeted before moving to her private school. Francine's family was never very rich, so when she came to school with the same backpack for the third year in a row, despite patches and holes throughout, Muffy targeted her. At the end of the term, Francine's bag went mysteriously missing. The middle school teachers looked everywhere, finally discovering the bag hanging from the flag pole along with a poster.

Muffy never received discipline for the act, leaving the next term for her prep school. Her only contact with her former classmates came as she moved around Elwood City, and it was often bad contact.

"Alright, I'm going to pair everyone off. Pay attention," the teacher called. Arthur was paired with a nerdy boy with glasses, but Francine was paired with Muffy.

The girls were silent as the teacher explained their project. They'd be using rubber bands to make geometric shapes, but there was only one board. The girls had no idea how to interact with each other anymore. Francine took charge; Muffy remained silent and withdrawn.

After a few minutes, only Francine had done what the lab asked. A pentagon was on the board when she walked by. She eyed Muffy gently.

"What about you, Miss Crosswire? Can you make something for me?" the teacher asked. Muffy turned away, looking to the aisle. "You have to participate or I will give you a zero for the day."

"I'll be fine," Muffy said, her eyes still on the floor.

The teacher turned her eyes back to Francine. "Keep it up, Frensky," she whispered, moving on to Arthur's group, where the nerdy boy had taken over the board to make an intricate pattern of shapes. Francine looked on with envy. Her hatred for Muffy was still strong, very strong.

'She best not be in Coach Peters' class,' Francine thought when the bell rang. She turned in their supplies, leaving the room quickly. Coach Peters was for her and her only. Muffy could never be near him, never.

A/N: And the Francine/Muffy drama continues. Despite them being best friends during the show, I feel like things would've been ugly between the two later on. I'll delve into that theory in later chapters. It's mail time at the Lundgren household and George receives a letter from an old friend. Who's it from, and will he answer the old friend? See Chapter Twenty-Four to find out.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

George looked up as the mail was delivered. He went outside to grab the mail as his father came out from the desk in the living room. He was on the phone with his lawyer because of the divorce, leaving George to finish staining a project for a neighbor. Now his father was outside, walking around the yard picking up twigs and leaves from a late-night storm.

"Anything good?" he called to his son. George shook his head, seeing only junk mail. Yet at the bottom of the pile was a letter for him from…Buster Baxter? "Hey, son, what's that?" his father asked, watching him sit on the front step to open the letter.

"My old classmate, Buster, sent me a letter. I wonder why he'd do that?" George wondered, opening the envelope and pulling out the plain notebook paper inside.

"Read it to me. We'll count that as your reading for today," his father grinned. George nodded, moving past the entry lines and into the letter itself.

"'I'm writing because my class needs to have a pen pal. I didn't want to bother Arthur with this, so I thought I'd write to you. I have to ask questions so you can answer, so just tell me how the city has changed since I left. I want to know what the new stores are, where people hang out, how people turned out. Just tell me the usual stuff, please. Sorry to bother you, George. It's okay if you don't write back'. That's all he wrote," George whispered, showing his father how Buster didn't even bother signing it.

"He sounds a little depressed or something. Whatever happened to him?"

"He moved in with his dad or something," George shrugged. "I remember Arthur telling us that he didn't write after a year or so. I wasn't really as close with him as Arthur was, so this is just…it's strange. I should probably answer him, but I think I want to talk to Arthur first to get his opinion."

"I think Arthur would appreciate that," Mr. Lundgren nodded, watching his son stuff the letter back into its envelope. "Hey, you want to use the blow torch on the junk mail? Your mom never let me do that," he chuckled. George nodded with a bright smile. He followed his dad into the shop, his smile never fading.

A/N: So Buster is writing back to Elwood City? While pen pal projects are common, could this be something more? We'll find out in a later chapter. Next, we'll check back in with Arthur during lunch. He's been hiding something from his friends, a feeling of sorts. What sort of feeling? See Chapter Twenty-Five to find out.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

**Warning: Some explicit language**

Arthur sat with Kevin at lunch, his eyes on a neighboring table. Muffy sat alone, munching a homemade sandwich, a very homemade sandwich. It was falling apart in her hands, covering her hands with different sauces. She'd likely made it herself, which meant that her loyal butler or cooks or any other staff weren't with her anymore.

"Hey, Read, what's the staring about?" Kevin asked. Arthur nodded towards Muffy, who had given up on her destroyed sandwich. She paws napkins out of a case with a sad gaze. "Yeah, the new kid," Kevin grinned. "She's in Claire's art class, a horrid student."

"She doesn't even know how to make a clay pot. How is she in sophomore-level art?" Claire asked angrily.

"She came from a prep school. I had classes with her until she moved there, but she's always being mean to us when we see each other in town. I'm surprised she isn't going around bullying people now," Arthur said, taking a bite of his school food.

"People change," Kevin shrugged. "It sounds to me like something just humbled the shit out of miss fancy pants. No one but her could really know that, but I don't recommend talking to her. The joys of high school come in ignoring people for the right reasons without any true motives. Fun times," Kevin smirked.

Arthur shrugged, watching Brain and Binky emerge from the line. It was strange to see the two together. Binky was only decent at school, yet he seemed to have improved over the years. Brain was always an overachiever. He seemed to look down on Binky for not taking school as seriously as he could, but he seemed to look down on everyone now that he was a senior.

"Hey, Read, I found this where you sister was sitting this morning," Ryan said as he sat down, handing Arthur a Crazy Bus eraser. DW had been off Crazy Bus about as long as she'd been off Mary Moo Cow, yet their mom never learned. It still made her the butt of the joke. Ryan himself was snickering, singing a parody of the song that had gone viral a few years ago.

"Oh fun times," Kevin chuckled, taking the erasure. "Sure you don't want it, Read?"

"I'm sure," Arthur nodded, taking another sweep of the room.

"Hey, you look distracted. What's on your mind? You can tell us everything," Kevin smiled. Arthur shrugged. "Oh, come on, Arthur!"

"I just have a bad feeling, okay?" Arthur said, sighing as he looked down to his plate. He'd had the feeling all day, but he'd been able to hide it with his school work. Now that he was trying to enjoy a quiet lunch, his uneasiness had come forward fully.

Above them, the intercom beeped loudly. Most people kept talking over the announcement. Arthur looked up softly.

"Arthur Read to the front office ready to go; Arthur Read to the front office ready to go," the announcer repeated, clicking the connection closed.

"Good luck, Arthur," Kevin whispered, patting his friend's back. "I'm sure it's just a doctor's appointment you forgot about, nothing big."

Arthur turned in his tray and returned to his class to grab his things. He was hoping that Kevin's theory was right, but underneath it all, he knew he wasn't. Arthur's mom was good about telling her kids when appointments were coming, except DW because she was always trying to get out of things. Arthur would've known, meaning this was something else. He hoped for a surprise family vacation, but he knew he was wrong, very, very wrong.

A/N: Wondering why Arthur is getting pulled from school? We'll find out in a later chapter (yes I'm making you wait^~^). Next up, we'll check back in with Francine and Muffy in Coach Peters' social studies class. Will Muffy's years of bullying her classmates finally backfire on her? Will Francine's feelings for Coach Peters egg this on? Find out in Chapter Twenty-Six.


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Francine almost growled when Muffy entered the room, a minute late because she was showing Coach Peters he schedule outside. At least all the seats in front were taken by other girls, sticking Muffy in the very back of the room, directly beside Jenna and a girl with serious allergies.

"Let's get started," Coach Peters said, causing the room to go silent. Francine's eyes were fixed on Coach Peters, her ears fixed on every word. Her hand could barely take notes as he pulled down a map and started to discuss certain historical events.

Before he could really get going, a hand flew up in the back of the room. Francine reluctantly turned to look back as he called on the hand. She did let out a low growl as Muffy's hand came down.

"I was just wondering what the textbook was," she smiled, a hint of flirtation in her voice. Francine had to resist the urge to rip her pencil in half.

"I don't really like the textbook they wanted me to use, so we're just using our notes. If you don't mind meeting with me after school, I can make sure you get the notes," Coach Peters smiled. Muffy nodded and the lecture resumed, with quite a few girls giving Muffy stern glares.

When the class was over, Francine got out of the room as quick as possible. Behind her, two girls from the front row were taking a different route out of the room, one that took them past Muffy's desk. Suddenly her books were on the floor, and the girls were laughing heartily as they left the room.

"That was just rude," Muffy muttered under her breath.

No one helped her pick up her books, even Coach Peters. He was in the hallway heading towards the break room, his eyes fixed on certain people as he moved up the hall. Behind him, Muffy's eyes were on the ground. Her years of bullying her classmates in her own special way were backfiring. Now she was the one being bullied. She finally knew how it felt, yet she knew she could never say she was sorry.

A/N: So after all these years, Muffy is now the one getting bullied. We'll find out later if she remains a target. Next, Fern is in the library after school. Will her search for a good book lead to something else? See Chapter Twenty-Seven for the answers.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

It was after the final bell and Fern was scanning the shelves for a book to read. She heard the doors of the library open, and a moment later Snow Fire was hugging her fiercely, something Fern never expected from the dark-looking character that was Snow Fire.

"I just got back from English. You did it! I can't believe you actually did it!" she exclaimed, ignoring the librarian's attempt to quiet her. "So, you want to head somewhere after school to work through everything?" she asked. Fern nodded, pulling down a book.

"I want to find something to read first, if you don't mind," Fern said, looking over the summary. Snow Fire nodded, looking over the shelves herself. She was smirking softly, her fingers tapping the bindings in some internal song of hers. She smiled brightly to Fern when she moved to another section.

"Come on, I'm just too anxious!" Snow Fire begged.

"I need something for the weekend. Just another minute, I promise," Fern said. Snow Fire nodded, turning towards the front desks.

"I think I'll go get some lists from the librarian. She keeps lists of books for various topics, so maybe she can be a good member of the team. That would be two English teachers, a librarian, and whoever else Dr. Langley can come up with," Snow Fire smiled, rushing towards the desk. She nearly scared the librarian half to death, but they were quickly chatting and laughing in her office, folders spread out on her messy desk.

Fern grabbed a teen-looking novel to read the back. She'd just recently gotten into the young adult genre after refusing it for years. Fantasy and mystery ruled her life, especially adult mysteries that were gritty and compelling. She wrote plenty in her years, but now she wanted something new.

But when she opened the cover to see the inner summary, a heart-covered card filled the page. "Coach Peters" was written in the center with swooping handwriting, the ink a particular shade of pink that screamed schoolgirl crush.

Fern almost put it back without a second glance, but it fell out of her hand and landed with the back facing up. She picked it up, seeing glaring black ink with red underlining. Whoever wrote the back part was furious.

"Fern, I need to close up!" the librarian called from the front.

Without thinking, Fern grabbed the book and moved towards the desk to check it out. The card went into her pocket for later reading, a later that would come after her meeting with Snow Fire.

"Hey, there's a bookshop café thing in the mall. We should go there to talk about things," Snow Fire suggested. Fern nodded, thanking the librarian for the book.

The girls left the library as the hall lights flipped off. The card in Fern's pocket burned her slightly. She wanted to know what was on the back, why the person was so furious with the coach she'd barely heard of. The only thing she knew about him was that he was "hot", "sexy", and so many other things to the local school girls. She wondered if he was like so many of her favorite novels' main characters: Was he dangerous?

A/N: Fern has stumbled onto the mystery of Coach Peters. Hopefully she'll get some time to look over the card later, when Snow Fire is through with her. Next, we'll get back to Arthur and discover why he was pulled out of school.


	28. Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Benji was screaming in the next room, loud ear-shattering screams that made some people's faces twitch. Arthur sat in the crowded room watching the others. DW was doing the same thing on the floor with Kate, a few toys spread between them. Some of the cousins were doing the same near their parents, who were staring into the carpet's pattern trying to find answers.

Grandma Thora's neighbors decided to check on her when she didn't walk her dog past their house. She'd already left her mail in the box, her paper untouched. They had plenty of reason to think something was wrong and they were right. She'd passed peacefully in her sleep, her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around her loyal dog, who growled at people when they tried to get her out.

Now her family was at Arthur's house, crowded in the messy space with their tissues, blank stares, and looks of irritation as Benji's screams grew ever-louder from the next room. Arthur's aunt stood and moved towards the door, but Arthur's father intercepted her.

"He has a rash of sorts. We were on our way to the pediatrician when…," he explained, his voice trailing off and fading into the screams.

The phone rang and several people dove to answer it. Arthur stayed put, watching as his father found his voice and got to the phone first. It was the pediatrician; they understood but Benji probably did need to be checked out.

"Is there any way you can make a house call?" Arthur's father asked. The answer wasn't what he hoped; he sighed heavily. "I'll get him there. Okay, thanks," he said sadly, hanging up the phone. He then disappeared into the bedroom, Benji's cries disguising the argument that followed.

A few minutes later, Arthur's mom was rushing Benji from the house, a very peeved look on her face. She burned rubber as she left the driveway, scaring a few people. Another few watched with blank stares as her car disappeared up the block.

A cell phone rang and Arthur's uncle answered it. He nodded slightly, listening intently to whoever called him. It seemed to be a boss or coworker, and Arthur knew that he'd been pulled from work too. He probably didn't have to ride next to a screaming toddler as his tear-stained parents drove him home, but Arthur wasn't complaining. He was numb.

His mind was on the argument he'd had with his mother. She told him plainly that he wasn't the best grandson because he never called anymore. No one complained about their lack of contact with Grandpa Dave. He'd been gone for years, lost in memories no one could decipher. The home didn't like a bunch of calls anyway, and visits from children were almost forbidden.

But Grandma Thora was fine. She still walked her former stray, Killer, down her street daily. She had bingo on Wednesday nights, the same group that Mrs. MacGrady frequented before her cancer came back and she passed away. Grandma Thora also had elderly aerobics a few times a week and she did her own shopping.

Yet Arthur didn't call like he should. He let the phone ring when she'd called a few weeks ago, not wanting to get dragged into a long conversation with her so soon before school started. Now he wished he had answered it, wished he'd gone back to spending his weekends at her house making sweet treats.

"Arthur, we're ordering some food. What do you want?" Arthur's older cousin asked, a notepad in hand. She'd gotten from his mom's desk. She'd be mad about it later, but Arthur shrugged off the thought.

"Whatever's cheap," Arthur murmured, standing and moving towards the stairs. A few people watched but no one followed. He moved into his room and collapsed on his bed. It would be one hell of a weekend, a weekend that Arthur wished never had to happen.

A/N: RIP Grandma Thora. If you noticed, we owe Mrs. MacGrady a late farewell also. I just felt it had to be done. We'll check back in with Arthur to see how he holds up. Binky is up next with his yard of chores and a heavy heart. Has he gained a few more allies in Molly? Will his parents continue their tirade? See Chapter Twenty-Nine for details.


	29. Chapter 29

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Binky was raking grass clippings when Molly showed up. James was with her, carrying a project bin. He and Mei-Lin were in different schools because he was older, but a new program was pairing up these students for community projects. Because Binky's parents were already thinking of Mei-Lin's college plans, community works came up often in dinner conversations.

But seeing Molly was a nice surprise, and it was even nicer when she picked up a rake and started to help him.

"You don't have to do that. In fact, I wouldn't. You might get me in trouble," Binky whispered, grabbing the rake. Molly loosened her grip, watching with a frown as he tossed it back towards the garage.

"So it's that bad? You're the slave while your little sister gets all the attention?" Molly asked. Binky nodded. "I don't know how you put up with it, Binky. Do they even know about you?"

"No," Binky answered frankly, peering at the window where his father was peeking out. "They don't know I'm in some advanced classes. I don't think they really care. They…got a call the other day about me. They were angry when I got home, but the mall trip got them distracted. I'm waiting for the real detonation. I'm sure it won't go well."

"What kind of call?" she asked. Binky sighed, raking more clippings into the rose bushes.

"I was having some trouble in my advanced history class. They needed me to type a paper, but they wouldn't let me do anything. Then when Rattles came over…. Things haven't gone very well for a while, but now it's pretty bad. I'm like you in that I want an education, but I don't know how much more I can take," Binky ranted, careful to keep his voice down.

Molly sighed, shifting her weight as she thought. She then looked up to Binky, "What were you thinking of doing? My mom let me in on a fluke. Do you have anyone who can actually help you?"

"My partner for the project, Brain," Binky replied. Molly nodded; she remembered Brain from Lakewood Elementary, his grey shirt flashing in her mind. "He said his parents might be willing to help me if I prove to be dedicated. If it keeps up—"

"Quit talking and work!" his father roared from the front step, slamming the door on his way back inside.

"I'll support you, Binky. I don't know what I can do other than that, but if you need anything, I'm here," Molly said kindly, eying the rake he'd thrown back towards the garage. "You don't have to do this alone. I'm sure they wouldn't yell too much."

"They'd do it after you left," Binky murmured. "I like having you here, but I think it'd be best if you left."

Molly nodded, eying the house carefully. She sighed, turning to Binky, "You've been a good friend. James can find his way back, but if you get a chance to walk him home, do you mind taking it?" Molly asked. Binky shook his head. "Good," she smiled. "See you around. Oh and don't check the paper. Rattles isn't in it yet."

Binky nodded, raking gently as he watched her depart. He wished more people could help him, more people could help the world see that his parents were using him like a slave. But while the neighbors watched, they said nothing. Good strict parenting, they'd say to anyone who asked.

Binky endured a screaming mission from his father when he found a missed patch of clippings in the side yard. Curtains parted as people watched, but no one said a word. He noticed James peeking out of Mei-Lin's window. Would he speak? Would anyone? Binky wondered as the bomb of the phone call finally exploded in their living room.

They knew it would only take a few more incidents before they came to the house to see "what Binky was doing wrong." Binky forced himself not to smile; they were digging their own trap without even realizing it.

A/N: Hopefully Binky's parents won't go any further in tormenting their son, but we'll have to find out in a later chapter. Next we have quite a few characters to see. We'll focus on George, who's off to Arthur's house to discuss the letter from Buster. Obviously Arthur is a little busy with the loss of Grandma Thora, so George must go elsewhere. Will his new destination become a chance encounter? See Chapter Thirty for all the answers.


	30. Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

George noticed all the cars at Arthur's house and decided to keep going. He'd always enjoyed riding his bike, but today it seemed more like a chore. He'd written a response to Buster's letter, but he didn't want to send it until later.

He pedaled through the streets, passing their old elementary school, empty on the sunny Saturday morning. He found his way through the park, then he somehow landed at the Sugar Bowl, just opening for the lunch crowd. George was parched so he moved inside, chaining his bike up just like old times.

"What do you want?" the cashier asked blandly. George ordered a chocolate milkshake, taking a spot at the counter while it was being made. While he sat, he looked over the interior. It was smaller and dingier than he remembered. You could almost see the dust in the corners, making George wonder how the place was really doing.

The bell above the door rang. George looked to see a girl he barely recognized. She was tying on an apron and moving into the back. A moment later, she handed George his milkshake. Her name tag was now fully visible, Jenna.

"How are you, George? I haven't seen you around school," she smiled. George sipped his milkshake before answering.

"I'm homeschooled now, but I'm fine," he said, wiping his mouth a little with a nearby napkin. "What about you? How are you doing?"

"Well, I have a dilemma of sorts," she whispered, leaning on the counter to get closer to his ear. "I have so much work to do with Mom's sewing shop, but I have to cover shifts here too. I was wondering if you minded making some deliveries, since you've got your bike with you. I can pay you for your time."

"I was out for another errand, but I don't mind helping. Where all would I need to go?" George asked. Jenna conveniently whipped a map out of her back pocket. In red circles were three addresses in the Lakewood Elementary neighborhood. The sewing shop was just up the road, a new edition when Mrs. Morgan's workload outgrew their family home.

"Is that simple enough?" Jenna asked. George nodded. "Well, Mom will pay you ten for each job, and a lot of people give tips. And if you can, she may even ask you for more. If you're interested that is," she smiled nervously. "I'm just excited about her being so successful is all. I never thought we might need to bring in extra help."

"Well my dad still has his carving business, so I probably couldn't be full-time or anything. While I'm here I don't mind helping," George whispered, taking another sip of his milkshake. He really didn't like the flavor. In fact, his brain was asking him if it was even fresh.

"Oh it's fine. Maybe I can put up flyers at school to get some people in. I'm sure someone would like to make deliveries for us," Jenna said, eying the door as an old man came in. "Just leave your money on the counter when you leave, and just leave the map with my mom," she said, quickly moving off to take his order.

George decided to leave, immediately taking his bike over to the crowded shop. Fabric was everywhere, and the woman was highly grateful for George's help. She sent him on the closest delivery first, telling him how to tie the bundle over his handlebars so it would remain intact.

George knew the area well, so finding the apartment complex that would receive the delivery was no problem. Finding the unit wasn't that hard either, so he knocked professionally at the door.

When it opened, a tall boy answered, smiling slightly. George immediately recognized him: Buster Baxter.

"That must be Mom's new curtains," Buster said, his voice deep from growing up. George remained silent as Buster's mom answered, paying George the price of the project and giving him a three dollar tip. "Hey, did you get my letter?" Buster asked in a low whispered. George nodded. "Well, you don't have to answer me now. Um…you're busy so call me tonight," he said quickly, tossing him a scrap of paper and closing the door.

George eyed the number carefully before putting the scrap in his pocket and heading back to the show. Why would Buster write the letter then show up a few days later? He needed to call back that number as soon as he could, the sooner the better.

A/N: Welcome back Buster, but what happened to bring you back? We'll gradually learn more about Buster in later chapters, as well as how George will handle the situation. Next we'll see how Muffy does in the food service industry without Jenna. She's working the register now, just as the target of her peers falls squarely on her shoulders. Can Muffy handle the pressure? See Chapter Thirty-One for more.

Also, I've thought of starting a forum to talk about the piece more, as well as the entire Arthur series. If you'd be interested in participating, let me know and I'll put it together. And again, thanks for following, my loyal readers, and I can't wait to get more posted and written.


	31. Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Muffy looked up from the register as the first customers began trickling into the mall. It no longer opened early, but Muffy's family no longer had the power of money to open the shops. Now it was ten o'clock or nothing just like everyone else, though Muffy's family wasn't shopping anymore. Her mother was checking on her work conditions, just a day or so after her cashier training. She watched from a bench at the center of the mall, sipping a water bottle while she read.

"It's almost show time. You ready?" the manager asked. Muffy nodded, wishing Jenna was here to help. She and the manager had an argument the day before about changing her hours. Jenna had to help her mother, so now she was already working at the Sugar Bowl to keep herself in a job and still help her mom.

"Good morning and welcome to the Corndog Counter. How may I help you?" Muffy asked as kindly as she could. The frantic-looking young mother was battling her two toddlers during the whole line. Muffy could tell she didn't hear as she looked over the menu blankly. "Do you need any suggestions?" Muffy offered.

"No!" the woman exclaimed, half screaming. The manager immediately stepped forward. Muffy was still too green to handle a customer like this. She was back on inventory duty, retrieving a tray of corndogs to fry up for the woman. She took a seat with her kids within the counter's small seating area, immediately complaining about the quality of the freshly-cooked fries.

"Today is not my day," Muffy sighed, returning to her spot at the cash register when the woman left. She gave her lines to the next customer, a busy-looking man ordered a full box of corndogs, the platter version. Muffy went to work getting the order ready, but with just her and the manager, it was almost too much. Two more customers showed up a moment later, all of them wanting large orders.

"I've got to call in some people," the manager said when the rush was over, heading into the back to call their semi-reliable part-time help, Brad. Muffy had only worked with him once; it was not a pleasant experience.

As Muffy's thought faded, she recognized Fern and a gothic girl heading to the print shop in the mall. Fern didn't notice, but a few minutes later, the two were peering around the food court for some lunch. Muffy prayed they wouldn't come to her shop. She'd been so mean to Fern, and after her problems in school, she knew Fern could easily retaliate in a place like this.

"Good morning and welcome to the Corndog Counter. How may I help you?" Muffy smiled. Fern nodded, but the gothic girl belted out her order first. Muffy took it all down before looking up to Fern.

"I'll have the same," she said meekly.

Muffy forgot that Fern didn't exactly have a backbone. Her mom was always forcing her into projects over the years, signing her up for clubs she'd never enjoy and being an overall nuisance. Muffy almost slapped herself for being so forgetful, but she had an order to fill.

As soon as they walked away, Muffy realized she'd forgotten something. She moved into the back to "get some things" while she waited. A moment later, the bell next to the register was ringing. The manage got it; the gothic girl was complaining.

Muffy peeked out to see Fern standing quietly beside her. She didn't want her friend to complain, yet there she stood, always trapped in someone else's agenda. Muffy would've leered if she hadn't made a mistake. The manager obviously knew, and she was in for a minor lecture…or so she thought.

"Hey, Muffy, it's fine that things happen. I'm trying to get more people in here. I really wish I could've worked something out with Jenna. I could really use her back," he sighed, moving back into his office. Muffy had to take the next order, and she was extra careful to make it right.

Who knew after so many years of bullying her less-wealthy peers that she'd be in a worse position than them? She almost wanted to apologize, but she knew she couldn't get up in front of her peers to apologize. She was a target now and the others would make sure she stayed in her place. Karma was taking a pleasing bite out of the Crosswire family, and Muffy knew they deserved it.

A/N: The working life of Elwood City teens is not a fun one, especially for the reputation-minded Muffy. We'll see if her work life improves in a later chapter. Next, we'll join Francine for a Saturday morning jog at the track. But who else is going to join her? I'm sure you already know, but see Chapter Thirty-Two for the answer.


	32. Chapter 32

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Francine was enjoying a morning run when she noticed Coach Peters by the fence. She specifically remembered him telling the class he'd be away for the weekend, spending time with family in another state. Yet he was there, lacing up his shoes and streaming water into his mouth from a special bottle.

Francine felt tingly. This was like a fantasy for her, a dream come true. She was about to jog with the hottest coach she'd ever encountered.

"So, you like the morning air too?" Coach Peters asked. Francine nodded, taking a sip of her water bottle as the two met pace with each other. "How far have you already gone?" he asked. Francine shrugged.

"I've been here about fifteen minutes," she said, trying to remember if that was true or not. She always lost herself on the track, often pushing herself too hard simply because she forgot what she was doing. She'd always been that way about sports, and running was no different for her.

"Maybe you should slow up then, just in case," he smiled, falling back. Francine slowed to pace him. The two fell into step, four feet making a perfect rhythm on the track surface.

"I thought you were off visiting family," Francine said after a few moments. He shook his head, laughing slightly.

"Well, I will tomorrow, but I like taking Saturdays to myself. I didn't want anyone emailing me or calling me. Even the other coaches think I'm gone for the whole weekend," he chuckled. Francine smiled. She didn't know why he'd want to hide so much from his coworkers and students, but she didn't really mind. She loved running with him.

"So you do that every weekend?" Francine asked. He shrugged.

"Every now and then," he replied. "I like my private life. I've been at Elwood City High for three years now. I just got into coaching because I didn't want the responsibility of the whole team. They assured me it wouldn't be so bad, and I guess they're right so far. We haven't exactly met yet."

"Do you think I have a good chance to make the team?" Francine questioned, trying hard to keep the excitement from her voice. He nodded feverishly.

"Oh, of course! You have great form, good discipline," he listed. "I think you'd be an asset that they shouldn't turn down."

"You really think so?"

Before he could answer, two more girls from school ran up beside them, giggling and chattering away. Coach Peters was immediately distracted, and Francine decided to fake a phone call and end the run early.

As she watched from the sidelines, cooling off on one of the many benches, she saw how much Coach Peters liked talking to the other girls. It made Francine angry. She needed to try harder. She needed to be athletic but beautiful like they were. For the first time since her days of Muffy in elementary school, she was starting to care about her looks. She made a hair appointment and took a bus to the salon. She didn't have much money but she knew what she had to spend it on: Herself…and technically Coach Peters.

A/N: Is Francine going to becoming a bombshell knockout? We'll check back in with her in a later chapter to see her new look. Next, Brain is at the Elwood City library browsing the stacks. But who else is in the stacks and what are they planning? See Chapter Thirty-Three for answers.


	33. Chapter 33

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

**Warning: Some explicit language**

Brain had a project at the library. He moved to the upper floor's reference books to find some nonfiction for a certain subject. He had just gotten to the section when he overheard some hooligans talking a few shelves over. He recognized one of the voices as Rattles, a person he hadn't dealt with since late middle school when he got into a fight next to him. The other person was someone Brain didn't recognize, but he could tell the conversation wasn't about good business.

"Well the truck was a good thing, but we didn't get anything. You told me she was gone for a while, that she wouldn't be back. Now the whole house is empty, appliances and all," Rattles hissed.

"Hey, man, I didn't know all the details. You should do your own damn research if it bothers you so much," the second guy said coolly. Brain heard a book fall from their row.

"That's what this is for," Rattles grinned. "If I can do this, we might be able to do more. You told me this was a dream of yours."

"Yeah, but you gotta know math and shit. I barely know how to count," the guy said, slamming the book back onto the shelf. "Get real, Rattles. We're street hoods. We can't do shit like that. They wouldn't teach us, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," Rattles muttered. Brain could tell his mind was still on the book. "Well, what about that new subdivision? How's the construction coming?"

"Nah, I don't do that copper stuff no more, not after they put in those laws. What you need is this," the guys said. Brain couldn't tell what it was but the two moved off to some study rooms.

Brain got back to his searching but he was nervous. What were the two planning? Shouldn't he do something? The two were in the room for a long time, but Brain stayed near just in case he heard anything that could tell him what they were planning.

But all he heard was Rattles going back to get the book. Brain remembered that Rattles was very smart, meaning he could probably teach himself if the book was good enough.

When both boys were cleared of the upper floor, Brain moved to where they were talking. He eyed the books carefully, trying his hardest not to gasp. Rattles had grabbed a book about bomb-making, and judging by the books that were still there, Rattles was a major threat to whoever he wanted to target.

A/N: Rattles just doesn't know when to stop, does he? Will Brain tell his secret to someone or remain silent? We'll find out more about both Brain and Rattles later chapters. Next, we'll return to Arthur and an evening walk. He's about to learn something else about his world, but does he really want the news? See Chapter Thirty- Four to find out.


	34. Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Arthur was walking around his neighborhood kicking a pebble up the path. It was late, almost dark, but the heat of the day was still pressing on him. He had to get out of his crowded house, the house where his parents and family were making arrangements for his grandmother. He just had to get out of the situation before it turned him mad.

As he crossed the street carefully, he noticed George riding up on his bicycle. George stopped short, walking up to Arthur while holding the bike an arm's length away. Arthur then remembered the letter he was supposed to deliver to the shop teacher.

"I didn't have a chance to give him your letter," Arthur began, but George shrugged it off.

"I need to talk to you about Buster. He sent me a letter a few days ago and now he's back," George said quickly. "I wanted to tell you earlier, but your house was busy. Wait, is something wrong? You don't look so good."

"Grandma Thora died," Arthur muttered. George gasped. He remembered the kind older woman from their years of school together. George apologized to him, but Arthur shrugged. He was growing numb again, especially in the stifling hot air. "What's this about Buster? I thought he was living with his father."

"He sent me this," George said, handing the letter to him. "He was asking about being a pen pal for a school project. I was going to get your help writing a reply, but then I made a delivery for Jenna's mom. He answered the door, Arthur. Buster finally came back."

"He stopped talking to me, George. He stopped writing and never called," Arthur sighed, handing him the letter after skimming it slightly. "I don't think we're friends anymore."

"You two should talk. Maybe he just ran out of money for stamps. They are pretty pricy now," George suggested. Arthur shook his head, sighing heavily.

"If you don't mind, I want to finish my walk in peace. I'll give the shop teacher your letter when I go back to school next week, okay?" Arthur muttered. George nodded, watching his former classmate brush past him to continue walking up the street.

Arthur was slightly interested in Buster being back in Elwood City, but too much time had passed. He'd almost forgotten some of their secrets, some of their favorite places to visit. He barely remembered where he lived, what his mother did for a living, what his father and uncle and other family members looked like. Buster was his best friend in childhood, not his teenage years. That friendship was over in his mind.

Arthur found another object to kick, a kids' ball left on the sidewalk. He smashed it towards a neighbor's yard, knocking over a potted plant and sending potting soil all over their patio. Arthur didn't care.

By the time he got home, the house was nearly empty. A few friends of Grandma Thora showed up, the three of them sobbing on Arthur's couch while DW looked on with a pale face. Arthur simply went upstairs, though each of the women had brought a food dish and hunger was beginning to gnaw at him. He liked the feeling.

He collapsed on his bed still in his clothes. No one said a word to him. It was like the entire house died, and even the rash-covered Benji was silent. The only sound came from the old ladies sobbing downstairs. Arthur blocked them out to begin a night of restless sleep.

A/N: The houses of the grieving are stressful, but will Buster's return give Arthur more stress? Can their friendship be mended? Will George be the answer? We'll find out in a later chapter, after a visit with Binky's family. Binky's outside life was looking up in previous chapters: Molly was his ally, he and Brain put together a good project, and he had resources if he needed them. But how's life inside the Barnes house? Will Binky need to call on his allies? Find out in Chapter Thirty-Five.


	35. Chapter 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

He'd been scrubbing for hours. Binky looked up from the sink to see his own reflection, as night had fallen an hour ago. Behind him, he could see his father and mother laughing as they played cards with a few family friends that had come to dinner. Binky was still scrubbing their dishes when Mei-Lin came in to ask for ice cream.

"Chocolate! With chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles!" she begged. Binky shook his head.

"I'm not stopping what I'm doing to fix you an ice cream. Go talk to Mom," Binky hissed, rinsing his plate angrily. All he had left were the pans, just four of them. If she made a sundae, who knew how much he'd have to wash to get the kitchen back into shape.

"MOM! BINKY WON'T FIX ME AN ICE CREAM!" Mei-Lin screamed. The living room went silent faster than Binky knew was possible. Within seconds, his mom was on them both begging for the night to go well. Binky gave her a dirty look. How was her outburst his fault?

"Just make the ice cream, Binky. It'll only take a second," his mom said angrily, turning on one foot and leaving the room. Binky kept on with his job and moved to the next pan. She can wait, he told himself. Why should the precious Mei-Lin always be a priority?

Mei-Lin noticed that he'd continued on, screeching so loudly that the windows almost shattered, at least in Binky's eyes. Within moments, his mom was forcing him to the freezer by grabbing him by his collar, or at least she attempted to. Mei-Lin was on that side of him and the two collided, sending them both into the floor.

"Binky! What the hell are you doing?!" his father screamed, seeing the fall from the living room. The guests were pale-faced and silent, their eyes begging to know if this was normal behavior.

Mei-Lin was sobbing, her nose the bright red of blood. Binky didn't mean to, but his mom forced him into her. He knew that but no one seemed to care. It was his fault, and while his mom tried to get the bleeding to stop, both parents snapped on him.

"It wasn't my fault! She pushed me!" he yelled at his mother, but no one would listen.

"Get out of the kitchen while we deal with this!" his father screamed, kneeling to be with Mei-Lin.

Binky scoffed angrily. Why should he be punished? It was an accident that Mei-Lin was standing there but it was his own mother doing the pushing. He lingered in the hallway, afraid to know what would happen when Mei-Lin wasn't the center of attention again. Even the guests were forgotten; one couple left without a sound.

A few minutes later, the bleeding was still going on. His mother's nursing skills told her that the nose was broken, very broken. The guests were sent home while she took her to the hospital…and while Binky's father dealt with him.

Never before had they laid a hand on him. They'd yelled, screamed, hissed, spat, and everything else, but never had they touched him. Now the blows landed without prejudice. Soon Binky looked as bad as Mei-Lin, except he was worse because the blows were deliberate.

When he was finished, Binky was left in his room to suffer for the rest of the night. Mei-Lin and his mom didn't return until after midnight, and while his father was awake in the living room, he never mentioned beating Binky as badly as he did. No one even checked on Binky.

He was becoming resentful of his little sister. When they were younger, both were viewed equally. His parents would do anything for Binky, but things steadily changed as Mei-Lin's talents became known. Binky had no talent, the left-behind student with the poor grades and behavior problems. Now he looked as battered as he felt. He couldn't decide whether to give up or to get out. But he knew people would notice the wounds in two days when he returned to Elwood City High. When the questions got him sent to the office again, would they be able to save him?

Binky slept curled up in a ball, blood from his wounds staining his sheets. He was in more pain than he'd ever been before, yet somehow, he was already used to it.

A/N: It's hard to write about Binky's parents doing such things, but maybe Binky can use his allies to rescue him from his situation before it's too late. Speaking of too late, Fern is about to start on a mystery that could change the fate of some Elwood City High students. She's looking into the index card from the library, and what she discovers online motivates her to move as fast as she can. See Chapter Thirty-Six to see what she finds out.


	36. Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Fern woke up and immediately began reading. The young adult novel she'd gotten on Friday was a good read, and after reading until she fell asleep the night before, she was ready to finish it this morning.

The book was finished before she remembered the index card she'd found, one side covered in pink, cutesy writing and the other covered in black, angry writing. She only remembered because it was laundry day, a Sunday ritual her mom practiced like a religion. She called Fern for her clothes, and while Fern cleaned out her pockets, she found the card.

After getting her clothes in the wash, she eyed the card carefully. The only name was Coach Peters, written in pink on one side and bolded black on the other, with a red strike through most occurrences. Whoever this Coach Peters was, he'd infuriated this person with bad deeds, deeds not fully mentioned. Whatever it was, betrayal laced these deeds like a poison.

Fern decided to go online and search the man. She knew from the Elwood City High faculty page that his first name was Jackson, so doing a search on him took seconds. Her first result was a social media page filled with female friends. The only male friends were listed as family: a brother, a cousin, and his father in Metropolis. He was a wealthy businessman—

But Fern wasn't interested in him. Half of the girls on the page were glued to Coach Peters like he was a god, begging him to know when the track meeting was for Elwood City High or when they'd be visiting their city. They sent him cute quotes, most of them love-related, as well as other messages. Some were obsessive, others were calmer.

But another group on the page were furious, all of them former Elwood City High students, as well as students from his old high school. They were betrayed be him for whatever reason, and numerous people wished him ill-will. A few former students from other states even sent death threats.

Fern felt herself shiver. While this man was greatly loved by those crushing over him, several hundred hated him for numerous reasons. Only a few Elwood City High students were in this group, which told Fern that something was amiss. Whatever caused those girls to attack him from the other schools must've cost him his job. He'd only been in Elwood City for three years, but he'd only been at the other school for four. A timeline was on another page; a group had been started to track his movements.

Fern wanted to do more research. Whatever his bad deeds were, they were probably being repeated at Elwood City High. Fern needed to discover these, for the sake of whoever left that card. In fact, she wanted to know who left that card. She'd start there, then she'd go after the others.

A/N: Fern is officially on the case of Coach Peters. There is definitely something off about this handsome man, so hopefully Fern can discover these flaws before someone else gets hurt. Next, we'll check in with Francine. She's enjoying a Sunday morning jog, but is someone else jogging with her, someone sinister? Find out in Chapter Thirty-Seven.


	37. Chapter 37

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Francine was jogging on a trail near her house. It was quiet, a perfect place for Sunday mornings, the one time the track was closed. The trail was three times the length, if not more, giving her plenty of room to run through the grassy park without a care in the world.

It was barely eight when Francine started, so most of the early morning groups were gone. It seemed to be just her on the trail, but she was immediately aware of someone running behind her. She turned, but as she did, the steps stopped. She thought she might be hearing things, maybe her own footsteps, but then they started again. She turned—same result; no one was outside.

Francine was growing nervous. She decided to take to the street at the next intersection. She felt a little safer, yet those steps were still behind her. She turned down a street she once knew, the street where Brain used to live. In fact, he was reading on his front steps when she turned.

She felt relief, yet suddenly, the steps were gone. She turned but nothing was there. She was scared now, and she turned up Brain's steps so without warning that he was scared too.

"Francine, what are you doing here?" Brain asked. "Wait, what'd you do to your hair?"

Francine almost forgot her new look with her fear. Her wardrobe was different too, her new running shoes costing seventy-nine dollars on her mom's credit card. She felt her heart pound with that fear as well, but her follower was still on her mind.

"Someone was following me. Can I stay here for a little while, just until they leave?" Francine asked. Brain gave her a perplexed look. He'd seen her as a jogger coming up the street, not as someone being followed. No one even seemed to be behind her. But he knew that the person could've turned the other way.

"Sure," Brain said, standing and inviting her inside. "My mom is making French toast. You can maybe grab a plate," Brain smiled, allowing her into the dining room. His father was already eating, and he easily remembered the athletic Francine.

"Wow, it's been a long time, Miss Frensky. I take you were jogging through the neighborhood?" he asked, eying her workout gear. Francine nodded, accepting a cold bottle of water from Brain. "Well it's a lovely place. Did you know the home next door to ours was put on the historical home tour? The owner sold it to her daughter when she moved to Florida, but they didn't want the place, so they put it to work. We should go see them next weekend, Alan, if you have the time," he said to Brain, who shrugged.

"We'll see what happens. I think they'll give out more homework next week," Brain replied, turning to Francine. "Do you know who may've followed you? Has anyone been watching you lately?" he asked softly while his dad played with his paper, drowning out his words.

Francine thought for a moment. Only one person came to mind, but Coach Peters said he'd be visiting family for sure on Sunday, and today was Sunday. She remained silent, shrugging softly.

"Maybe it was just a coincidence. I don't mind you staying for breakfast. Do I need to walk you home?" Brain asked. Francine shook her head. Brain nodded, moving into the kitchen to tell his mom to make another serving.

"Why, Alan? Do you have a guest?" she asked. Brain nodded, telling her the full story about Francine. "Oh, well you be sure to walk her home, whether she wants it or not. I'm glad she stopped by. I know she hasn't come over since…well it must've been elementary school!" she exclaimed. "You be the good gentleman though. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Breakfast was served a few minutes later, and Francine ate tiny bites while the Powers family ate calmly. They eyed her, an awkward silence filling the room. Brain's father was silent from shoving food into his mouth, but Brain's mother was thinking of Francine's situation, as was Brain.

While breakfast went slowly, it did end eventually. Brain walked Francine out to the front step. They stood for a moment, but when Francine went to leave, Brain followed.

"I don't need you to walk me home. I'll be fine," Francine whispered. Brain glanced towards the front window, where his mom was peeking out from between the curtains.

"If I don't at least walk you a few streets over, my mom would be furious. I have studying to do. I can't deal with her getting on my case all day," Brain whispered quickly. Francine nodded, letting him walk beside her as they moved towards her home. They were silent, at least until Brain noticed someone following them. He alerted Francine.

"Look, there's a shop that's open. Let's go in and see if we can find out who it is," Francine whispered. Brain agreed, and the two moved into a small gift shop. The follower, a man in a hooded windbreaker, jogged past at a good speed.

"They knew we were watching so they left," Brain sighed with relief. "Do you know who it was?" Brain asked. Francine's face spelled recognition, but she remained silent. "Do you still want me to walk you home?" Brain asked. He expected her to shake her head, but Francine nodded softly.

She finally saw some danger in her crush, unless her imagination was playing tricks on her. She hoped that was the case, going upstairs to her room without a word to her family. She had to practice her stretching if she wanted a place on the track team, and that was something she wanted more than anything else.

A/N: It's nice to see Francine thinking clearer about her crush on a much older teacher, but is her mind still clouded by his spell of hotness? We'll find out in a later chapter. Next, Molly gets a visit from Mei-Lin and Mrs. Barnes. How will the visit end when her mother sees their true behavior? See Chapter Thirty-Eight to find out.


	38. Chapter 38

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Molly answered the door to see Binky's mother and Mei-Lin, a cast pressed on her face. Molly gave her a stern glance before really looking at Binky's mother, who was bringing her daughter over to help with James' project.

"Um…he's at the supermarket with Mom. I guess you can wait here. They shouldn't be long," Molly whispered, letting them into the living room. She'd just finished vacuuming for her mom, something her mom asked her to do because she was having friends over. James was never mentioned, meaning that she wasn't expecting Mei-Lin, and she certainly wasn't expecting Mei-Lin in the state she was in.

"Um…what's your name again?" Mrs. Barnes asked. Molly told her. "Okay, Molly, could you get me a small glass of water? I am parched."

Molly brought her a glass of water, grabbing a small juice box for Mei-Lin. She refused it immediately, tossing it across the room. Molly was immediately furious. Why would a girl her age do such a thing? What if Molly had opened it beforehand? The stain would be permanent.

"Oh, sorry about that," Mrs. Barnes giggled. "I'm thinking of signing her up for tee ball next year. What do you think?" she asked with a bright smile. Molly stared at her blankly. "Well I guess you're not into sports," she whispered, taking a small sip of the water. Molly wondered if she'd chuck the water if she was unhappy with it, but she remained silent, retrieving the juice box on her way to put up the vacuum cleaner.

"Oh, you must be Mrs. Barnes!" Molly's mom called. Molly finished her task, putting the juice box back in the fridge as James put a bag of bread on the counter.

"Why do you have a juice box?" James asked. Molly then remembered that James didn't drink those anymore. A box was leftover from when he started turning them down, but Molly didn't take any thinking they were still his.

"I thought Mei-Lin would want one. Is she always so ill behaved? She tossed it across the room," Molly said sternly but softly, using her mother's loud chitchat to cover her voice.

"They seem to pamper her a lot. That's strange that she'd do it in our house. I was hoping it was something she only did it home because she could get away with it," James whispered, leading her out to the car so they could both bring in groceries.

But Mrs. Barnes wouldn't have it. She pleaded that Molly was capable, asking James to hurry so that she and Mei-Lin could do shopping on their own. Their mother was appalled, shaking her head at Mrs. Barnes.

"I'm sorry, but the kids bring in the groceries together. You and Mei-Lin can wait patiently, otherwise you may both come on another day," she said sternly.

Suddenly Mei-Lin broke into a tantrum, sending the glass of water her mother was holding onto the floor. Though Molly was vacuuming, the floor was hardwood. The glass spread everywhere, infuriating her mother. She immediately stood and pointed to the door.

"I don't think I want your daughter working with James anymore. You're both bad influences on him," she called after them, sighing heavily as she turned to her two stunned children. "I'll sweep while you bring in the groceries," she said, grabbing a broom from a side closet.

When the tasks were done, sandwiches were made and they all sat at the table. After a few minutes of watching the news together, their mom turned off the television and turned to her children.

"Just to make sure I was right in my threat," she grinned, "what can you two tell me about the Barnes household?"

"Binky has a lot of trouble with them. He was friends with Rattles and me through school, but he's trying harder to do better in school. Unfortunately, his parents don't seem to notice him. I think they're abusing him, Mom. I know parents are supposed to be strict, but should one person do all the chores? When I took James over yesterday, he was afraid to allow me help rake because his dad might yell, and he did yell at him for taking two seconds to talk to me."

"Is he the only one who does chores?" her mom asked. Molly nodded.

"At least I assume he's the only one," Molly added. Her mom nodded, sighing quietly.

"What about that girl's face? That's a heavy-duty cast she had on her nose."

"She didn't have that when I visited the other day," James replied. Their mom sighed quietly, grabbing a book out of her purse. She flipped through it before pulling out a business card. It was for her friend at a county office that worked with at-risk children.

"I know some about the family, but now that I've heard what you both told me, I think I should ask if Mei-Lin has come in with any more injuries," she whispered, tapping the card as she took to her seat.

"No, it's not Mei-Lin that they abuse," Molly corrected. "It's only Binky. Mei-Lin is the golden child because she's really smart. Binky had to work to get his knowledge, but they don't even care that he's in advanced classes. He wasn't like me either. He pulled away from Rattles, but when Rattles broke in to talk to him, they thought he had something to do with it. Binky is their target, never her."

"Has he been injured?" her mom asked. Molly shook her head; at least she didn't think he'd ever been injured. "I'll call her and see what she can do about this. I know I said I wasn't much in a helping mood, Molly, but after seeing that, I know I can do more. You keep an eye on him, okay? Just don't let it interfere with your studies."

"I know," Molly promised.

With lunch finished, Molly and James decided to go to the park to finish his homework and play catch. They were both pretty quiet though because of the morning's events. Molly was even tempted to stop by their house to see what could be going on, but she decided against it because James was with her. Maybe her mom would let her go out later to check on him; she certainly seemed on board with the idea of helping Binky.

"Do you think I could find someone else to do my project with?" James asked on their way home. Molly nodded.

"There are plenty of kids in Elwood City, James. You just have to find the right ones."

They stopped for ice cream, a welcomed treat on the hot day. Summer was definitely over in Molly's mind. She'd start GED classes the next day, ending her life as a rebel to society. She was happy to the change. But like her mother, she wanted to help someone else too.

A/N: It's nice to know Molly and her family are going to attempt to help Binky and save him from his situation. We'll see if they have any success in a later chapter. Next, we'll visit Arthur on Monday morning. He's about to come face to face with the funeral home, but seeing Grandma Thora is the least of his problems. Did Grandma Thora have secrets? Find out in Chapter Thirty-Nine


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